Silencing the Chaos
by LadyDevilBlessed
Summary: Set Post-DoC. What started as a WRO mission in coastal city Ebony spirals into something much more. What lies in store for Yuffie and Vincent as they are faced with some of the hardest decisions in their lives? What does Lucrecia and Chaos have to do with it? Life is but a path of choices. Where will these choices lead?
1. Chapter 1

Silencing the Chaos

A FF7 Yuffentine Fanfic

8/29/2012

Chapter 1

Yuffie hated it when there was nothing to do. That wasn't particularly true, she hated it when there was nothing but paperwork to do. It was a shame that she had to do so much of it. She dubbed it, "her curse." No matter where she went, it hovered, in the back of her mind, reminding her of her duties as a top level WRO member.

Originally, Yuffie thought she managed to get away from all the boring paper pushing tasks her father had her doing; when she ran off to the WRO. But then, Reeve, who she thought was better than Godo, turned out to be no different, just younger. And accompanied by a very obnoxious robot cat. If it had been the gigantic moogle, Yuffie might now have minded, but the cat was downright wrong.

Secretly, Yuffie believed the head of the WRO was a pervert. If he created a robot that would openly say, "nice legs, sugarcakes," he was bound to have those same tendencies. It was highly possible that, since it would be bad form for Reeve Tuesti to say things like that, he programmed Cait to do it for him.

The jingle of her phone broke her random thoughts. She knew that ring.

"Hey, Vinnie, calling to save me from paperwork?" Yuffie tossed the pen she was using to sign papers into the holder on her desk.

"Reeve wants us. Briefing at 09:00," his low voice rumbled over the phone.

Sometimes, Yuffie thought Reeve told Vincent about the missions first, just to force the gunman into having to make a phone call.

Yuffie closed her phone and looked at the glowing numbers: 08:15.

Forty-five minutes. She could go through half her stack of reports in that time. She weighed the options: do it now and not have to do them when she returns, or put it off and hope for a long mission where someone else would do them.

She groaned as her conscious kicked in and she pulled the first folder towards her.

"Yuffie."

Her head shot up; there was only one person who could sneak up on her.

Vincent's cape ruffled as he passed her office on his way to Reeve's conference room. A quick glance to the clock said it was three minutes until 9. Pulling on her socks, Yuffie grabbed up her shoes and ran after Vincent. She caught up easily and jumped onto his back, latching her legs around his waist and throwing her arms over his shoulders.

She really hated getting her socks dirty.

"Hiya, Vince."

"Hello, Yuffie," Vincent opened the door to the still empty conference room. "Paperwork?"

Over the months working for the WRO, Yuffie had picked up some habits. One of which was shedding her footwear if she was stuck at her desk for any period of time. More like, if she had to sit down, it was to take off her shoes, more than to do paperwork.

It was fine; her habit. Unless it made her late to meetings. Reeve did not take tardiness lightly. He put Yuffie on desk duty for three weeks because she was late to a meeting. Yuffie nearly died of frustration during that time. Especially since it was the biggest mission of the season and she wasn't able to partake.

Since then, Vincent always brought her to their shared mission briefings. If she didn't make it to her own meetings, it had no affect on him. Once, she had jokingly said that he reminded her because he wanted to be partnered up with her. His response was unkind, "I will not endanger someone not skilled enough for the mission."

Yuffie didn't let it bother her too much. After all, it was the closest to a compliment she had gotten from him in a long time during the duration they worked together.

"Yeah, how come you never do paperwork?" Yuffie answered and asked as she launched herself off of Vincent to land on a chair. It rolled slightly and Yuffie crouched to keep her balance. "Thanks for the lift, Vincent."

"You are welcome," he pointedly ignored her first question and chose to inspect his claw instead.

"You threatened him?" Yuffie exclaimed, throwing her head back with laughter as he gave her his quiet, 'I have no idea what you are talking about' look.

Reeve walked in to see Yuffie gasping for breath and Vincent sitting silently beside her.

"Good morning, you two," Reeve greeted them and let his assistant follow him in. "Yuffie, collect yourself."

"Yes, sir," Yuffie grinned wickedly at him, like a cat that cornered a mouse.

"Let's get started," Reeve nodded to the assistant to hand out files and turn on the projector. "There was an excavation team sent down to retrieve the Gelnika. They haven't returned after the ship was retrieved.

"What we want," Reeve continued as he went up to the screen of the projector, "is for you two to lead the investigation. Dio from Gold Saucer has also given us some information that will be useful."

"How is the owner of a theme park giving info that'll help us?" Yuffie had finally finished pulling her boots on and looked over the folder in front of her.

"There has been some gang activities. No, not gang. Underworld. With a gang, it would be possible to investigate with a proper team. But, this," Reeve paused, a wrinkle of worry between his eyes now, "requires much more dedication. I can only send the best."

"That's us!" Yuffie chirped. She saw the tension in Reeve; knew he didn't like what he had to do, but that was all the more reason for her to cheer him up.

"Listen before you jump headlong into this. Both of you have to be more than certain that you can overcome everything."

It was rare to see the WRO leader so serious. There was always an air of calmness, kindness, beneath his words. At that moment, it was gone.

"What are you getting at, Reeve?" Vincent's voice betrayed nothing.

"I should not even be considering using the Wutaian princess," Reeve muttered, causing Yuffie to frown. They had been over that title before. She gave up her right to the throne in order to work with Reeve at the WRO. But as much as she tried, the Wutaians still called her "their princess" even if she were to never rule.

Whatever the job was, it was dangerous. That much, she knew.

"Tell us," Yuffie was all business. "If we need to be more than one-hundred percent sure, you need to tell us everything."

"You're right, Yuffie," Reeve said as he sat to face the two agents.

00000000000

"You're sure?" Yuffie asked for the fifth time.

"Yes. I thought you had good hearing," Vincent stated, not looking at Yuffie.

Reeve left them after the briefing to let them discuss their decision without his interference.

"I just don't wanna push you into doing something that's gonna make you all mopey again," Yuffie tried to crane her neck to see Vincent's face. He was doing an outstanding job at retreating into his turtle shell.

Frustrated, Yuffie pushed the folders aside and climbed onto the table to be right in front of him. He turned the chair. With a growl of frustration, Yuffie clambered onto his lap, clenching her thighs around his and grabbing his face in her hands.

"Get it out now or we'll run into trouble during the mission," her voice was low, but her tone was soft. She knew he was hiding something, she just needed him to come out and say it.

"I am still thinking things through. That is all," Vincent met her gaze squarely, but she could read very little in their crimson depths.

"What do your friends say?" Yuffie tapped his temple, referring to his, literal, inner demons.

"Danger."

"That should make them happy, right?" Yuffie knew of their bloodlust tendencies.

"For you."

"Huh?" Yuffie's hands dropped at his words and his gaze shifted.

"They are all saying that this mission is dangerous to you."

"So, that just means we'll both have to be careful," Yuffie grabbed his shoulders and gave them a shake. "We've gone through dangerous times. Usually, it's not together. This should be safe."

"_Should_?" Vincent glared at her, stopping the flow of her words. "Safe?"

"Y-yeah," Yuffie's fingers went lax, but didn't move.

"We will be infiltrating an unknown underground ring that is trying to grow an empire. How can it be safe?" His eyes pierced hers and she found that breathing was becoming difficult.

"I have you?"

She yelped as Vincent grabbed her hips, stood up and slammed her down onto the table like a drunk man finished with a shot.

"You think I can protect you from everything?"

"I don't _need_ to be protected from _everything_, Vincent!" Yuffie dropped her limbs from Vincent, allowing him to wander to the window and peer out. "Are you saying we should let someone else do this mission?"

"No."

"Then we shouldn't do it at all?"

"No."

"Well, this requires a partnership and we're the best Reeve's got."

"I know."

Yuffie paused. Looking at Vincent, she saw the morning light illuminate his features. He really was handsome. As handsome as the day she met him. That was over four years ago, now. Yet he still looked twenty-seven. It was weird how Yuffie was getting closer to his age. He was a rock in the flow of time.

"This is about Lucrecia, isn't it?" Yuffie's voice was quiet as she lay down on the table. Thinking of Vincent's true love was very trying for the ninja. She tried to not let it bother her. But there was only so much she could take.

"What do you mean," he did not make it sound like a question. At least it was not his usual hostilely-protective tone any more. He no longer carried his 'sin,' but that did not mean he let go of his love for the beautiful doctor.

"Going undercover. As a couple. You don't want to betray Dr. Crescent. I'm right, aren't I?" Yuffie lolled her head to see Vincent retreat into his cloak again. "I'm sure we can arrange our relationship differently to give you peace of mind."

His eyes shifted briefly, repeating his previous, "What do you mean?"

"You could… be my boss, or master, like in a household. I would be able to say that everything I do is your order. People won't suspect if I'm your property."

"_Excuse me_?" He could still get flustered. Yuffie gave him a grin.

"Ownership. The old underworld in Wutai used to be like that. It's nothing like a pet or mistress. I just work for you. See? All okay. Guilt free. No betrayal to Dr. Crescent."

"No. Not okay," Vincent left the window to stare down at Yuffie as she rolled into a seated position.

"Why not? It fits our requirements! I go where you go," Yuffie grabbed his arm as he started to turn away again. "Look, it's either we're in a mutual relationship, I'm your whore or you own me. I can't take point on this mission."

Reeve had reports saying that the women had no power in the organization, but did things where men weren't allowed. It had to be a team of a man and a woman to cover all the bases, but they had to be able to be seen together without drawing attention.

With delicacy, Vincent winced at the term "whore." As Yuffie expected, Vincent was too much of a gentleman to approve of the term, let alone the option.

"Do not say things like—"

"Whore?" Yuffie cocked her eyebrow at him. Over the years, she had tried to get him riled up and, thus far, been unsuccessful. "I can play the part; it is about money after all. But my cover will be blown if someone tried to pay me for my services and I refused. After all, if they're paying, I should perform; if I'm a wh—"

"I said, stop saying that," Vincent bit out. "That is not an option and Lucrecia is not the problem."

"I never said she was," Yuffie blinked up at him. "I said 'about,' but I'm talking about _you_."

The gunman was silent.

"You still love her. Doing this role is a sully on your feelings towards her. I'm not stupid, you know," Yuffie crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I know."

"Damn right, you do," Yuffie got off the table. Reeve would kill her if he knew she was rolling around on it. "So, you'll be my master, I, your servant. I do what you tell me, we figure this out and we crush them. Mission accomplished."

And with that, Vincent had no room for complaints. They prepared for their hardest mission ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 2

Yuffie tugged at her clothes. She had refused to wear long pants. Hated them; couldn't stand them. That meant she wore a skirt.

That decision was no better.

Vincent stood beside her as she fidgeted. He still did not like the plan. Too much could go wrong. Yuffie wasn't even properly armed.

"How are you feeling?" Vincent knew Yuffie spent most of the boat ride asleep in attempts to ward off her seasickness.

"Alright. Is my ass even covered in this skirt?" Yuffie twisted in order to see for herself. What she saw was the other passengers and sailors openly staring at her. "Only barely, huh?"

"It would seem so."

"Can't you check for me? It's not like you're checking me out, boss. It's inspection."

"It fits the way it was made."

Rolling her eyes, Yuffie left it alone and shaded her eyes as they docked. Their new home was a young, bustling town with an even livelier night life: Ebony. Yuffie, playing her role, instructed for their baggage to be loaded onto their car. She opened the back and allowed Vincent to step in.

Closing the door solidly, she glanced around before sliding into the driver seat. When Vincent inquired about driving, Yuffie had replied that carsickness was the one thing that didn't bother her if she was behind the wheel. The drive to their house did not take long. Reeve had given them funds to purchase the largest house on the hill. It was high up and looked down on the coastal city like a castle.

News spread like wildfire and there were scouts outside the house. And, of course, there were spies already inside their household.

Yuffie pulled up to the door and put the car into park. The entire staff came out to greet their new master.

"Master Lucian, your new household staff," Yuffie slid into her role, using the pseudonym chosen for the wealthy arms dealer, Lucian Travers.

"No names, Rose, I do not care," Vincent knew all of them, having read up on their files. He knew each name, birthday, blood type and, most importantly, who they were selling information to.

"Maids, servers, head chef, steward," Yuffie was a step behind Vincent, rattling off positions. They stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Sir," the steward spoke up. "I am Fitzroy, I am pleased—"

"Stop," Vincent held up a hand, silencing the older gentleman. He addressed the staff, "I am Lucian Travers. Do your work well, and we will never speak. Do not, and wish that you had. This is Rose Aoyama, respect her as you do me or suffer the consequences. Understand?"

"Yes, Master Lucian."

With that, Vincent swept into the house. Yuffie snapped her fingers and pointed to the car. Servants jumped to unload it.

"Tour, Fitzroy," Yuffie told the steward and they followed Vincent inside.

00000000

Yuffie collapsed on Vincent's bed well after midnight. The rest of the staff left and Yuffie had finished sweeping the house for all kinds of listening devices. Thankfully, there were no video cameras, only microphones in the most discreet places. The only place clear of bugs was the broom closet on the first floor. There were twenty one bugs in total, one for each room for the three different underworld lords currently trying to feel out the strange newcomer.

"Master Luc, I have completed the task you asked of me," there was no way anyone would know that she was lying on her back, kicking her legs tiredly as Vincent stood by the window. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you," Vincent nodded to the folder on the table. Additional info from Reeve.

"Good night, Master Luc. Sleep well," Yuffie picked up the folder and left for her room downstairs.

Taking out the bugs from her room, Yuffie placed them in a lead lined box and locked it. She might be a thief and a nag, but she believed in eavesdropping with your own ears. Using bugs was too intrusive and lazy.

Peeling off her outfit, Yuffie left "Rose" and became herself again. She read the folder's contents after a quick shower. Their work was cut out for them. Reading it over again carefully, Yuffie lit it on fire and dumped the debris into an ash tray to flush away in the morning.

Checking her knives below her pillow, Yuffie fell asleep.

00000000000

"Master Luc," Yuffie entered Vincent's study the next night. "The car is ready."

"Everyone go home when you are done, Fitzroy," Vincent said as he stood to follow Yuffie. They were going to town.

People turned as the pair strolled down the streets. They drove partway into town, then went on foot to see the night life.

There was reason to stare, Vincent was the exact description of tall, dark and handsome. Yuffie tagged two dozen women's thoughts that went straight to the bedroom. Though, the ninja smiled when she thought of how many would have the same reaction if they saw Vincent Valentine, not the posh, polished Lucian Travers. With his hair brushed and pulled back into a low ponytail and a sharp suit, Vincent looked like he fit right in with the night life of Ebony.

As they strolled, Vincent felt eyes, not only on him, but a fair share on Yuffie as well. It was simple enough. She was young, beautiful and exotic, even in the ocean city, and she walked with a confidence that was a beacon of light. But, of course she was confident. She was Yuffie Kisaragi on a mission; equally, she was Rose Aoyama, right hand man to Lucian Travers.

They went into a restaurant. Yuffie went up and spoke with the hostess. They were seated right away. While Vincent picked their meal, Yuffie surveyed the area. Reports pegged the restaurant a favorite of James Rothsburg, one of the Overlords of the underworld. There was a high chance they would see him.

Vincent rumbled their order to a waiter and order their finest red wine.

"Master Luc, your doctor said to go easy on the beef, remember?" Yuffie chided the man across the table lightly. They had built a complete history of their characters. Vincent taught her what he learned as a Turk when creating a false identity. Details mattered.

"That is why I ordered the wine, Rose," Vincent squared a look at her. His character was mostly the same as Vincent, but less trigger happy.

The look of disgruntlement was nothing new for Vincent. They allowed for some similarities to stay between their characters, like Yuffie's defiance to his stoic ways and his general lack of retaliation to her. Yuffie was strained enough with her role. She actually had to act older, an idea she repulsed, since most of her life she strove to act immature. A counterbalance to her weight as heir to Wutai and all the related problems.

"You look tired," Vincent commented. He knew she was running around, trying to control spies, run his business and maintain his household.

"Not at all, Master Luc," she gave him a smile. It said, "thanks for worrying, but it's gonna take more than this to bring the Great Ninja Yuffie down."

"My mistake," Vincent looked to the second floor where a set of doors looked like they were important. But the food came before he could signal Yuffie.

Throughout the meal, Yuffie talked business, commenting on Rufus's advancements on solar energy and the contracts going between science groups. Mostly, it was knowledge anyone could find if they cared for the subject, but Yuffie was laying a trap. It would do no good to waltz into the underground ring on their own. Instead, they needed to be invited. Which meant doing some advertizing on who, and more importantly, what they were.

At the end of dinner, neither Vincent nor Yuffie managed to glimpse the Overlord and they left with a generous tip and the promise to be back.

"Are you alright to drive?" Vincent made Yuffie walk closer to him, but did not touch her. People were still watching. But now, with the later hour and higher intoxication rate, men were leering at Yuffie's long legs and short skirt.

"Me? I'm fine," she looked and sounded fine. "Master Luc, you seem to have forgotten, I grew up in Wutai. I was practically bottle fed alcohol."

It wasn't a lie. As princess, she drank from a young age for all sorts of ceremonies and parties.

"How is the car?" Vincent asked as they neared the sleek automobile.

"Clean. Surprisingly," Yuffie opened the door for him. "I thought for sure…"

"No matter," Vincent settled back as Yuffie turned over the engine. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine. You'll have to do business tomorrow. I'm reinterviewing the staff. Formalities and all that. Gotta show 'em who's top dog. Cuz it ain't that slickback jackass, Fitzroy," Yuffie slid back into her usual laidback, slightly crass, vocabulary. The man behind her let her do as she pleased. He was surprised that she hadn't slipped up yet. She purposely drove slowly so she could ramble. "…and why did Reeve think miniskirts were appropriate for my job position? It's like he's purposely trying to make me look like a hooker."

"Please, do not…"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry. It's just that this kind of place, shouldn't I dress more conservatively to _not_ make people think we're… you know…"

"I do not know."

"That we're doin' the nasty together. The only reason someone of my station wears a short skirt is either the boss likes it, or she's trying to get the boss to like it. See our problem?"

"Then you should have worn the pants."

"I can't!" Yuffie wailed. She hated pants. She wore them as a disguise, one SOLDIER, one sailor, in order to sneak onto the Shin-Ra boat years ago, but never before, nor after that.

"Then, persevere."

"Fiiiine," Yuffie bemoaned for a moment. "What if people ask about it?"

"How is Lucian Travers supposed to know what Rose Aoyama thinks; why she wears short skirts?"

"Ugh, you sure we shouldn't have made you into a psychologically manipulative mastermind?"

"We did. I just happen to sell weapons."

They pulled up to the empty house.

"What is on the schedule?"

Yuffie opened her leather bound booklet and read Vincent's activities for the following day.

"At two o'clock, you will be closing a deal with the local weapons shop."

"Very well. Go to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow," Vincent walked up the stairs and left Yuffie to lock up the front door.

0000000

They were confronted the next day as they left the weapon shop.

"So, you're the newest hot shot in town, huh?" A flock of men in shades stood around a man leaning against his car.

Instinctively, Yuffie shifted into battle mode, but Vincent laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Lucian Travers. I just moved recently, if that is what you mean."

"Travers, huh?" The man was chewing on a toothpick and it rankled Yuffie's nerves. "Call me Phil. Everyone else does."

"What is your name?" Yuffie cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I just said—"

"That people call you 'Phil.'"

"Ah…she's sharp. I can see why you keep her," Phil looked Yuffie up and down, taking in her high buttoned shirt and miniskirt, short boots and jacket.

"Yes. Was there anything else we can help you with?" Vincent never lost his composure.

"Nope, just wanted to welcome you to our humble town," he nudged his head and one of his body guards went for his pocket; Yuffie readied a blade. "My card. My businesses are on the back. As you can see, I'm in the entertainment industry… of every imaginable kind."

The dark eyes followed Yuffie as she took the card from the henchman.

"Mr. Travers, I'm sure your adorable assistant needs her own time for amusement or pleasure. And I'm sure you are curious as well. So any time you visit, I would be more than happy to show you all the services my business can offer."

"Thank you for your offer. We will be sure to patron your businesses," Vincent let nothing on to Phil's poorly veiled innuendos toward Yuffie. "Rose."

"Yes, sir," Yuffie fell into step beside Vincent and unlocked their car. She revved the engine to make the sunglass wearing men jump.

"Stop that."

"Sure thing, boss man," Yuffie drove off.

"Does it not bother you?"

"What?" Yuffie sent a look in the rearview mirror.

"Phil's words."

"Oh, about me enjoying his businesses?" She saw his nod at her words.

"You don't know about the other missions I've done at the organization of you're asking that," Yuffie laughed.

"What missions?"

"Cabaret, strip club, maid café, dungeon; I've infiltrated all of them," Yuffie might have been innocent, but that does not mean she stayed ignorant. "The world's changing, boss man. Gotta keep up."

Vincent brooded in the background, silent.

"Does it bother _you_?" Yuffie asked.

"Should it?"

"No reason it should."

In truth, it did. And Vincent didn't like it. Not at all.


	3. Chapter 3

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 3

"We need to go," Yuffie told Vincent. It was hard to keep up her Rose persona when Vincent was being stubborn.

"I do not need you to follow me everywhere I go," he glared at her. How much he wished they weren't bugged. The beginning part of a long term undercover mission was always the trickiest.

"Oh, I see. You don't need another woman around. Then, may I have permission to explore some of Mr. Phil's businesses? For the sake of friendly appearances, of course," Yuffie saw that Vincent was becoming protective. That protection was going to blow their cover.

A vein twitched along Vincent's temple. Yuffie saw it.

"You are relieved of your duties for tonight. I require a full report in the morning."

"Yes, sir," Yuffie gave Vincent a furiously confused look and in return, got nothing.

She left before he did. Where she had acquired clubbing clothes, Vincent had no idea and purposely deferred his mind elsewhere.

"You're going to get into trouble with thoughts like that, V," a quiet shadow spoke from the recess in his mind. "It's been a while since you've given me a reason to bother you."

"Then why are you, Chaos?"

"If you think of that wretched name too many times, it gets on my nerves. A demon can only take so much."

"My most sincere apologies," Vincent toned.

"Sarcasm? Ninja girl really is starting to rub off on you. Too bad you can't see that she can take care of herself; unlike a certain heartless—"

"Don't talk about her like that."

Chaos scoffed from where he resided inside Vincent.

"You're right. Even a heartless person would not make you live forever as an eternal vessel for me. Even though my existence is no longer necessary since Omega is gone, we're stuck with each other, for no reason, forever. And you've got your dead girlfriend frozen in Mako so her _taint_ won't infect the Lifestream. No, you're right, she isn't heartless, she's worse," Chaos was getting irritated.

"Enough. We have already had this conversation before. We have eternity to have it again. But right now is inconvenient."

"Damn right we have eternity," Chaos muttered as he started to fade. "Remember what I said. The ninja can take care of herself."

Vincent stood and left the house.

The trek down to the town was easy. Night life bustled around Vincent, but didn't touch him. Music strummed every fiber of his being as he walked further into the city. He glimpsed Yuffie in the crowd, blending in like the young, upbeat, spirited woman she was. He turned away when he saw her dancing with others.

Like Chaos said, she could take care of herself. It didn't mean he liked it.

Phil, who was milling around his own store fronts, found Vincent and dragged him into the pumping music, gyrating bodies and fumes of alcohol and drugs. The stoic man was quickly the center of attention; women clung to him, pressing their bodies tightly against him so he could feel every curve and all the friction they made. The men were a ring around the women, trying to give their names and business cards to Vincent. Though, Vincent was fairly sure the men were fully partaking in the female bodies they had to touch to pass cards into Vincent's hands.

In the end, Phil secured Vincent into a luxurious booth on the second floor of a club. Women joined them, but Phil assured him that, "They were professionals."

Vincent tried not to glare at the women. It was their decision, so he had no say in the matter, but he did not enjoy their solicitations of very explicit, very graphic services they whispered in his ear.

"I see you gave your assistant that time off," Phil commented offhandedly. "She knows how to move her body."

A glance down showed that Yuffie had followed the flow of people into the club; probably her third one for the night at the rate she had moved between buildings before. In response to Phil's words, Vincent silenced a retort. What she was doing, the sexual sway of her hips, the grinding of various anatomy into her multiple dance partners, the relaxed movements of her arms; none of it, repeat, none of it, compared to her in the heat of battle. _That_ was the true demonstration of Yuffie knowing how to move her body.

"I'm starting to see more of why you keep her around. Though, I would've pegged you for a guy who wouldn't let his girl be so free with others."

"I do not believe that you see the true reason. She is good at her job. And she is loyal to the work. What she does in her free time," Vincent's eyes flicked to the dance floor, "is entirely up to her."

"Sure, whatever you say," Phil shrugged and finally pulled his lecherous eyes off Yuffie's dancing form, not even noticing her deadly glare she threw up to him. Vincent saw it and mentally smirked. "Mr. Travers, I believe we may find ourselves to be in a mutually benefiting business relationship soon."

"I am sorry, but I do not see how a man with entertainment businesses like yourself would find an opportunity doing business with an arms dealer," Vincent pointedly removed the wandering hands of the female company as it slid over his crotch. He did not look at her; it would only encourage her.

"Ah, my good sir, you should know to never close the door on opportunities just because the rewards are not clearly obvious. We could just be friends. I do love to share with friends," Phil made a general motion to the women; two of which were latching themselves onto him.

"I am not the kind of friend who only takes. What could I offer into this friendship?" Vincent removed the wandering hand again.

"Of course your patronage to my services might be nice; invite your friends or clients. Perhaps your expertise on how I should best protect myself? That is your professional title, right? Security systems?" Phil was facing Vincent, all business on his face, but his left hand was quite obviously up the skirt of the blonde on his lap and the cause for her only minutely muffled moans.

"Yes. But that hardly seems fair for me to offer so little for all your… diversions," Vincent stopped the hand before it even crossed his peripheral vision.

"Well, if you insist, then there may be more opportunities. However," Phil was moving his hand to the, obviously dye-job, red-head and slid it up her leg as the blonde laid back with sweat glistening on her very exposed chest. "I believe you should meet my other associates before we discuss more. Is the brunette not to your liking? The blonde is very good."

Vincent's mind shifted quickly to keep up with Phil's topic change.

"It is not that. I just prefer to separate business from distractions."

"Is that all?" Phil shrugged, making the red-head shift. "Well, Mr. Travers, the only business we have left is for us to arrange a time where we can meet our other friends. Without, 'distractions.' You will, hopefully, be bringing that delightful assistant of yours, won't you?"

"Of course. If it is business, she will be with me," Vincent stood and reached out his right hand. "Thank you, Phil. It was a wonderful evening."

Phil shook Vincent's hand.

"Call me with a time to meet. Business is best at night in Ebony."

"I look forward to it," after Vincent left the room, he discretely wiped his hand along the hip of his trousers to rid the feeling of the sweaty palm.

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Yuffie wasn't home when Vincent walked into the manor. It was too quiet. He went up to his room and took a shower to wash off the smoke and perfume smells that clung to him even after he took off his clothes.

When he reentered the bedroom, he saw Yuffie closing a box in her hands.

"Hello."

"Hiya," Yuffie put the box of bugs in the hallway and closed the door. "Want me to do your hair?"

Vincent sat on the bed, waiting for Yuffie.

"Sorry about earlier," Yuffie knelt behind him on the bed and rubbed a towel over his hair. "It wasn't nice of me."

"You were right. Do not apologize for it," Vincent closed his eyes as Yuffie's fingers untangled his long strands of jet black hair.

"I still have to apologize for my terms and tone. It was unnecessary. Especially since you were trying to protect me," Yuffie started combing, carefully straightening his mane. She hit some snags. "I don't need to be protected from night life like clubs, Vinnie."

He didn't reply.

"I'm not delicate. Haven't been in a long time. Scoping out clubs is old hat for me now. Maybe there was room for you to worry if it was my first time doing it, but I'm a pro at it now," she struggled with a particularly stubborn knot. "What did Phil talk to you about?"

"Business. He wants to be friends."

"Does he now? What does he want from you?"

"Patronage. And for us to meet his other friends."

"Overlords?"

"Most likely."

Yuffie finished combing and fluffed his hair, trying to dry it a little more. Her strong fingers felt good along his scalp. The music had given his sensitive ears a work out and cultivated itself as a continual pounding in the back of his skull.

"Headache?" Yuffie felt him leaning into her hands. At his slight nod, she continued to massage his scalp as she reported. "I have a preliminary work out on Phil. His job is about controlling people. He gives them what they want, but that's mostly because he is the one who set up the society.

"This probably helps their Underworld since it's one of the best control mechanisms available. I checked most of his locations. No, I did not go _into_ all of them. But Phil's definitely in the red light district. From the way you talked about his friends, it's highly likely they divided this town by type of people. There's probably a high-tech or science division as well as the stuffy upper class that want the old ways back."

"Reports indicate the possibility," Vincent agreed. His headache was ebbing with Yuffie's soothing motions.

"You'll have to meet them."

"We."

"We?" Yuffie's fingers stopped.

"Phil… said for you to accompany me to meet the others," Vincent stood so he wouldn't ask her to keep massaging his scalp.

"Lecherous bastard," Yuffie stood and started punching the air. "His eyes were worse than those sweaty hands."

"Too much information. Go shower and sleep," Vincent said as he sniffed the air. His nose was only barely unclogged from the smells of the sweat, sex and alcohol of the city, but he could tell that a cloud of it clung to Yuffie.

"Sure thing, boss man," Yuffie left, continuing to punch and kick her way down to her room.

000000000000000

The next day, Yuffie was working in Vincent's study as he looked over reports when the phone rang.

"Lucian Travers's office," Yuffie tucked the receiver into her shoulder and continued typing out a correspondence letter on the screen.

"It's me, Phil," of course it was, Yuffie knew from the very beginning. "I saw you dancing last night. If you keep coming, I'll make sure you can go into any club you want."

Yuffie dry heaved silently, making Vincent smirk over his papers. He could hear the entire phone conversation with his superior senses.

"Mr. Phil, what services can our business offer you today?" Yuffie put her business voice on.

"Oh, not business. I wanted to invite your beautiful self and Mr. Travers to meet my business partners for dinner."

"Dinner?" Yuffie flipped open the planner she had completely memorized and lazily turned the pages to find the right day. "Our first opening for dinner is tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, then," Phil sounded downcast. "Seven o'clock, the Flying Duchman."

"I'll pencil you in. Can you give me the names of your associates?" Yuffie twirled a pen.

"James Rothsburg and Alexander Green."

"Thank you, we look forward to tomorrow evening. Have a good day," Yuffie hung up before he could say a farewell. Probably something crass and distasteful like the rest of his conversations.

Yuffie didn't even bother addressing Vincent, since she knew he heard everything. They both turned back to their work. There was twice the amount of work to do. Their front as a business and as WRO agents. In Ebony, they had no allies, no WRO back up and no connections.

Dinner that night was to meet their 'client,' Dio. They travelled to the Gold Saucer to get information and to touch base with the owner under the guise of being a security company.

"I can't even recognize you two," Dio commented, but hid his surprise fairly well. "Follow me."

They were closed off in a private room and they became relaxed; slightly.

When Yuffie told the muscular man that all the Overlords would be having dinner with them the next night, Dio went pensive.

"Be careful. They are all very dangerous men."

"I've got 'em trumped," Yuffie smiled up at Vincent. "About four times."

"Are you really that dangerous?"Dio looked at the much slimmer man.

"When I need to be."

"Which is whenever he wants to be," Yuffie added. "It's not like the odds will be completely skewed."

Dio didn't say anything. He wasn't convinced that Yuffie was a ninja or Wutai's former princess or even Wutaian at all, even with her more than typical physical characteristics. He just knew that she was an energetic ball of energy that made a ruckus at the event stage every time she came to his establishment.

Over the course of dinner, Dio filled them in. People from Ebony were making their way through the desert. Many would stop at Gold Saucer and Dio always knew when something fishy was going on. There were too many business men doing business when they should be having fun.

"They think it's a good cover; and it is. To outsiders. But for me, it sticks out," Dio explained.

"Any idea what they're talking about?" Yuffie inquired.

"Not precisely. They kept saying 'Revival' like it was the project name. But I don't know _what_ they want to revive."

Vincent and Yuffie left with more to think about for their meeting with the Overlords.

The next evening, dressed to impress, the two agents entered a private room in the Flying Dutchman to face Phil, James and Alexander.


	4. Chapter 4

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 4

The three men looked nothing alike.

Phil was a slim man with dark completion. His dark chocolate skin was smooth with a clean-shaven jaw and his hair was soft waves. It was his eyes that deceived people. Where his words could be kind and his body sensual, his eyes were hard, cold and calculating.

James Rothsburg was not one to be considered handsome. He was stocky, with a double chin created by weight and age. Originally, he had red hair, but it turned blonde as he got older and did nothing to help his appearance.

Alexander Green looked crazy. Wild hair stuck out in all directions, he had a scruffy beard and eyes like a rat. His general lack of cleanliness was evident by his blackened nails, greasy hair and yellowing teeth.

Both Vincent and Yuffie took in these features in a blink of an eye.

"Ah, Mr. Lucian Travers, Ms. Rose Aoyama," Phil stood and gestured for them to step closer. "May I introduce my friends. Mr. James Rothsburg, owner of this fine establishment and many others like it, and Doctor Alexander Green of Practical Sciences, Inc."

"A pleasure to meet the close friends of Mr. Phil," Vincent gave a half bow to the seated men. "I am Lucian Travers, my assistant, Rose."

Yuffie gave a polite nod to the men, but stayed silent.

"Welcome to Ebony, Mr. Travers," James spoke with a rumble that sounded like a bear, "Have a seat, relax a little."

Vincent pulled out a chair and gracefully sat. Behind him, Yuffie stood like a servant, waiting for his order.

"Ms. Rose, please sit," Phil pulled out a chair between his seat and Vincent's. At Vincent's nod, Yuffie swept into the chair and sat straight, ankles crossed. Phil's lips brushed Yuffie's hair as he said, "I'm glad we are able to see each other again."

"Thank you for extending your invitation to my assistant tonight, Mr. Phil," Vincent spoke for Yuffie who was trying not to gut the man with her mental powers. "Have you not brought companions for yourselves?"

As if on cue, three women, for they were a far cry from being ladies, sashayed into the room amidst a bubble of giggles. One for each Overlord. Each woman seemed to fit the type of man. Tall, beautiful and slightly dimmer than the average person.

"Our…executive assistants," James said as he pulled his, barely legal, partner in for a kiss. She giggled prettily when he pulled away. "Introduce yourselves."

"Ruby."

"Emerald."

"Sapphire."

"Hooker names," Yuffie thought to herself. There was a nudge at her foot and she widened her peripheral to see the minute shake of Vincent's head. It was as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Lovely to meet you, ladies," Vincent's voice and appearance was clearly better than what the girls were used to, since they all but melted at his words.

"Girls, this is Lucian Travers. Hopefully, we will be doing lots of business together, so be on your best behavior with him," Phil told the simpering women. "And be good to Rose, too. I'm sure you will all get along well."

Doubt, sarcastic doubt, filled Yuffie's mind and she felt the pressure on her foot again. The three women all hid their glares behind fake smiles. Yuffie gave them one of her own. One that said, "That's right, my boss isn't a cow. And if you try anything fishy I'll rob you blind and dumber than you already are."

As if connected to each other, the three women moved their eyes to Vincent.

"If there's anything we can help you with, we'd be more than happy to offer our services," they all looked like they were about to strip off their clothes to get the most attention from Vincent.

"Thank you, for your offers, but Rose does her job perfectly," Vincent stared straight at Yuffie, though she did not return it. She was too busy watching the energy leave the women to pool on the floor in a pathetic mess.

"Well, now that everyone is introduced, let's get some food out," James rang a bell and servers entered the room with carts of food.

Vincent did very well, chatting with the men and ignoring the looks the women gave him. The meal was delicious and Yuffie spent much of the time admiring it as she checked for drugs. Yuffie regulated the food and drink Vincent consumed, flying under the façade of "doctor's orders," but mostly so she could watch the women become steadily unhappier with the man at their side.

They could be important. As airheaded as they might be, they could be their best allies or worst enemies. Yuffie's goal would be to find their reason for being with the Overlord. Money, status, sex or even true feelings. Knowing the answer would either open or close doors.

Doctor Green was a silent man, eating steadily through the evening. He would respond to direct questions in complete sentences, but offer no more than the answer. When asked what he did, he responded with, "I research a variety of things to make our world a better place."

Vincent had prodded lightly for the philosophical discussion of what a 'better place' would be like, but the men brushed it off and the girls just gave him bedroom eyes.

After dinner, the men shook hands and made loose promises to call for dinner again. The friends went off to one of Phil's clubs and Vincent and Yuffie went home.

"Total of six," Yuffie mused to herself as she turned onto the road for home.

"What are you talking about?"

"The number of times those girls came in their mind when they looked at you. Twice for each. You must be losing your looks or something, boss man. The women on the street came in under three minutes after seeing you," Yuffie didn't beat around the bush.

"I should not even ask how you can tell," Vincent's curiosity was about the kill the proverbial cat. He of course knew that it was not just in the women's mind. His nose still itched from the smell that lingered throughout the course of dinner.

"I told you before about my other missions. You tend to notice things about men and women when you're around them as they have sex and… stuff," she figured she didn't need to go into all the kinky details.

"Ah," was all Vincent managed to say.

"So, what's your reading on the Doc?" Yuffie drove slowly. There were still workers at the house.

"Secretive. We need to find out what he is so keen on hiding."

"Roger."

When they got out of the car, Fitzroy was opening the door.

"Welcome home, Mr. Travers," Fitzroy had blocked Yuffie from the car door. "How was dinner?"

"Good," Vincent caught the suspicious twitches in Fitzroy's movements.

"I need to report that the chef has fallen ill and will be taking sick leave. What—"

"Those small matters shall not waste Master Luc's time," Yuffie interrupted harshly, her emotions bristling at the obvious and blatant refusal to acknowledge her position. "Matters like this will go through me."

"So says you, Rose," Fitzroy looked down his sharp nose at Yuffie with distain. His piercing green gaze dared her to confront him.

Struggling, Yuffie smothered the urge to beat him into an unidentifiable lump.

"If you believe it deserves Master Luc's time, then by all means. I shall put the car in the garage and will return for today's debrief, sir," Yuffie waited for Vincent's nod before climbing behind the wheel.

"Has she always been so selfish, sir?" Fitzroy asked like he was commenting on the blueness of the sky. He failed to notice the cold sheen, glinting momentarily in Vincent's crimson depths.

"Rose and I go back," Vincent collected himself, drawing on their false identities. "Because of the circumstances of our meeting, she feels…obligated to fulfill the role of assistant to the fullest. She is merely protective of what she feels is her duty. To put it simply, you were a threat to her doing her job."

"So, she's insecure," Fitzroy commented, lightly, as if not ever aware of how proper stewards should address such a topic.

Vincent swept up the stairs to the door, through it and up to his study, unable to be polite. "I suggest that _you_ start to feel insecure, Fitzroy. If you do not correct some of your behavior."

The resounding 'click' of the door shutting was as final as a shot from the triple barrel of Cerberus.

"He did warn you. First day. Do a good job and you'll never talk, don't and wish you had," Yuffie was leaning against the banister. Fitzroy hadn't heard her come in. "If you were wondering; breakfast will be oatmeal, fresh fruit, coffee and a newspaper. I've already informed Betty. You are excused."

And he was. Dejectedly, the steward went downstairs to yell at the remaining maids. Yuffie waited for the raised voice before knocking and entering the study.

"Master Luc."

"I do not like oatmeal."

"It's good for you," Yuffie sat at her desk and kicked off her heels. She was still dolled up for dinner. Her longer tresses were pulled back in a bun that was finally coming loose, but looked even better than the perfect twist. Her lips shined and her eyes shimmered from the make-up, making her look like the twenty-one year old woman she was. The dress was appropriate; modest in the front with a hint of skin in the back and a skirt that allowed Yuffie the mobility she desired.

In Vincent's eyes, she was stunning. Even more so as she kicked off her shoes and propped her feet on a low drawer handle as she droned on about client lists, deals, agreements and contracts. He only half listened as he leaned on the edge of his pristine desk. There were shadows beneath Yuffie's eyes. She had tried to hide it with some make-up, but he could tell.

"Tomorrow, you have a phone conference with Shin-Ra company at 10 am," Yuffie had begun to read off the schedule for the next day.

"Is that my first meeting?"

"Yes," Yuffie blinked up at him as he strode over and closed her book. He never interrupted.

"Then you can tell me the rest of my schedule at breakfast. Go to bed early tonight," Vincent spoke in his normal tone, but a flicker of something else crossed his expression.

"Yes, sir. Shall I tell the staff to go home?" Yuffie asked as she slid her feet back into her shoes.

"Yes. And tell the maids to put any complaints against Fitzroy into his file."

"Yes, sir. Good night, Master Luc," Yuffie went to the door.

"Good night," Vincent said. Then added silently, "Yuffie."

000000000

"They don't seem right."

"Explain."

"He cares about her feelings, emotions."

"People are like that."

"And she's always around him. I haven't been able to get much data for you."

"Never fear. We have bugs. All of us."

"Some of them may have been found. It's always silent."

"Idiot."

"I will check them, replant them. I will find everything you want to know on Lucian Travers."

"Do not fail me, Fitzroy. Or I will not include you."

"I will not fail you, Doctor."

Beady rodent eyes glinted through glasses at the steward before turning back to his work, illuminated by a soft green glow.

0000000000000

Yuffie stared at her reflection. She never really liked having to care about her appearance, yet there she was, business woman, who had to dress for the part.

When she went to Vincent for inspection, he had a very curious expression on his face. The simplest description was puzzlement. Almost like he could not quite comprehend if Yuffie was in the dress or if Reeve had been sick enough to make human shaped robots. He nodded his approval and they did not speak about it.

She twirled like a little girl in her first ballerina tutu. Maybe it wasn't all too bad, growing up. After all, growing up did not mean she had to completely change.

Ruefully smiling at her reflection, Yuffie stripped off the dress and hummed as she went to shower off the aches of the day.

Her thoughts did not slow as she lathered her hair. Even though they met the three faces of power in the city, it did little to reveal their intent. Or the reason why the entire WRO retrieval team disappeared after bringing the Gelnika to the surface. What could a sunken ship do to help them with this 'Revival' project? Or if it was connected at all.

Shutting off the water, Yuffie went about drying off. As she played with her near-shoulder length hair, Yuffie thought of the weird feeling she got from Alexander Green. He reminded Yuffie of another dangerous scientist.

Hojo was a crazy bastard that played a major role in making the world a hellhole of a planet. If Green was even the slightest percentage of Hojo's level of insanity, they were in for a whirlwind of problems.

As much as Yuffie hoped for it not to be so, she was doomed not to have it granted.

Somewhere upstairs in back recesses of Vincent's mind, his demons shifted uncomfortably like animals before a storm. In particular, Chaos growled at an invisible threat upon the tides.


	5. Chapter 5

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 5

Yuffie and Vincent held a demonstration event. They were in the middle of an empty stretch of desert outside the edge of town. Phil and James, along with their 'executive assistants,' were among the crowd of people getting a demonstration of the variety of self protection Armory Corp. could offer.

"This baton is small, light, but extremely durable to scare off attacks. Women, of all sizes and strengths can feel secure just by keeping it with them!" The vendors crowed out the best selling points for each weapon. A few women looked dubiously at the small metal stick as Vincent and Yuffie walked around. "Feeling a little unsure? Let's ask Rose, the president's own assistant."

All eyes turned on Yuffie.

"Rose, will you give our guests a quick demonstration?"

Yuffie got a nod from Vincent.

Smiling, Yuffie went up and took the lightweight baton from the cheerful man. In the background, Phil and James watched discreetly.

"Ladies," Yuffie addressed the crowd, "and gentlemen. This delightful beauty is a weapon that requires very little force to wield. Using what we have available, let me show you what I mean."

Taking a bottle of water, Yuffie poured it onto the sand, building a sturdy sculpture. She invited the women to come help her, allowing them to test the strength of the column of sand. When they were satisfied, they stepped back.

"Now, with a controlled flick of the wrist," Yuffie used the whiplash of the flexible metal to destroy the substantial mass of sand, "you can inflict a fair amount of damage. There are pointers for using this ladies. This is to help you get away. Aim for the sensitive flesh: wrists, collarbone, crotch. Then get away.

"You can hide this anywhere. It collapses easily," Yuffie gave it a twist and folded it into a small pen sized tube, "so you can store it in your purse, up your sleeve or even in your pocket."

The women flocked forward to tentatively hold the weapon and debate if they should buy one or not. Yuffie brushed off her hands and winked at the salesman who wrapped up deals and sold pepper spray and other items to the less willing.

"You're a brave man to sell weapons to a woman," James said as he came up to Vincent.

"I would never advise it, personally," Phil had his arm slung around Ruby's waist. Neither woman seemed to hear the words as they displayed no reaction to their words.

"Sales is money," Vincent said and brushed a stray streak of sand off Yuffie's sleeve. "You honor us by coming all the way out here for our little exposition."

"Well, we love to see how other people function."

"And we've shown you our businesses, we wanted to see yours," Phil grinned at his less than veiled innuendo.

"Then let me show you some of my personal favorites," Vincent walked through the stalls. It was like a bizarre festival or market place except it had weapons of all kinds as well as other safety devices and nothing else. They wandered from the legitimate sale items into the personal firearms. The booth at the end of the row was empty. "Rose, if you would."

Yuffie stepped around the booth and pulled out a large case. The metal clamps clicked with satisfaction as she flipped them open. Metal parts gleamed in the sun and Vincent moved to take charge. He moved with a grace that seemed to dazzle only with his concentration of assembling a gun.

Ruby and Emerald hid behind Phil and James, now unsure about the handsome man with the rifle in his hands. Yuffie couldn't help herself. She smiled at the fond look on Vincent's face as his fingers ran over the smooth metal of the gun. It had been weeks since he last held Cerberus, longer still for Death Penalty. She would be sure to give him more time to play with the weapons. That _was_ the reason for using the weapons industry as their cover after all.

"It's a rifle. It's been done," James smirked, thinking that he was smarter than to be duped by a guy with a gun.

Vincent said nothing as he loaded it.

"Average recoil of a rifle is over a dozen pounds per inch," Yuffie spoke. "The explosion for the bullet is accentuated by the type of gun, a long range weapon like this one has a much larger kick than a sidearm. This gun, however, has barely any kickback."

Not even looking though the crosshairs, Vincent pulled up the rifle and shot, barely flinching at the power and sound. Yuffie saw the bulls eye on the target with the hole centered perfectly, as to be expected.

"I'm going to say that I need a little more convincing," Phil said as he started to reach out for the gun.

"My apologies, Mr. Phil, but at this outdoors and public exposition, I cannot allow the guests to handle live rounds. I need to maintain equality amongst the customers," Vincent gave the men what could easily be mistaken as sincerity. "Rose, however, should convince you a little more, if you would like to see a second demonstration."

"I don't believe you would entrust a woman, even your assistant, with a firearm," James said, highly skeptical of giving females any way of rising against the men.

"Rose handles everything," Vincent assured the Overlords. "And I am perfectly fine with my decisions."

Yuffie put down her book and took up the rifle, loaded it, cocked and raised it. She felt the weight, the feel of the saddle in her shoulder, the trigger warming against her finger. Bracing her feet apart, she blocked out the others, focusing on Vincent's words from years ago when she begged him to teach her how to fire Death Penalty.

Her breathing evened and time slowed down. Even the thumping of her heart quieted and slowed. She rechecked the rifle in her shoulder with a slow roll; an attempt to minimize an injury. The cross hairs framed the target and Yuffie focused on it, almost calling for the target to come closer.

Then she fired. It was as if she could feel the trigger pulling inside the gun, the explosion in the chamber and all the interlocking mechanisms swallowing the motion to lightly shove her shoulder. The feeling was akin to a bird alighting there for a rest.

"Impressive weapon," James and Phil agreed with each other.

"Thank you, gentlemen. If you would like to try any of my merchandise, you are always welcome to make an appointment. I will personally escort you to the range," Vincent watched with some pride as Yuffie efficiently disassembled the weapon to pack away safely. He had also taught her gun care when she asked to shoot. It was a package deal.

"We'll do that. I think we have other business to discuss as well," Phil said. "But we'll set it up another time."

Vincent and Yuffie watched as their guests left to climb into their sports cars and drive back into town.

"I wonder what they want," Yuffie mused, drumming her fingers lightly on the gun case.

"I do not know," Vincent stilled her fingers by laying his hand over hers. "However, once they involve us in their plans, I suspect things will move rapidly."

"We can hope," Yuffie stopped her fingers when she felt the weight of his hand. She hadn't even noticed she was tapping. "As much as I enjoy work, this is…a lot of work."

"Come, there are still booths to inspect," Vincent waited as Yuffie stashed the gun behind the counter before letting her lead him through the stalls.

"So, how hot did I look with the rifle?"

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The next day, Yuffie set up a meeting at the three Overlords' request. They met at a restaurant. Yuffie was excused from their dinner party to eat with the other women on the main dining floor.

"I hope Rose won't give you too much trouble for making her leave," James said as he tossed back the dregs of his first glass of wine.

"Why? Girl that hot should give you more trouble. You aren't sly, are you?" Phil looked slightly apprehensive.

"He's not gay," Alexander spoke from behind his notebook. The scientist hadn't said anything until that point.

"Oh, if you say so, doc," Phil relaxed, not even needing an answer from Vincent. "Well, in that case, Lucian, my man, you should give her lots of trouble and let her give you trouble. Worked for all of us."

"Rose is productive enough the way it is now," Vincent really had no idea why Phil was such a nymphomaniac. He was going to tell Yuffie to arm herself better. "I am fairly sure that Rose is not the reason for our meeting."

"No, she's not," James cut Phil off before they got sidetracked again. "Lucian, can I call you Lucian?"

"We are all friends here. By all means," Vincent smiled. It was still edged with a chill that was typical for the stoic man. The Overlords didn't seem to notice.

"Lucian, we have a business proposition for you."

000000000000

Yuffie was in hell. Her dinner partners were the beautifully airheaded assistants to the Overlords. It would have been easier to ignore the gossip of hair treatment of all body parts, but Yuffie had a job to do. These women knew secrets. It was her task to find them out.

"So your boss is, like, smokin' hot," Ruby was the first to speak directly to Yuffie.

"Is that so?" Yuffie knew Vincent was good looking, vampirish as he might be.

"I'd kill to have him as my boss."

"I advise against it," Yuffie speared a carrot. "It's illegal to murder for one, and for two, he has so much work to do, you won't get any rest."

"Don't worry, we're used to not getting rest," Emerald, James's employee, looked aside disgustedly.

"Why don't you quit?" Yuffie asked. That was the first semblance of human emotion Yuffie recognized.

"The pay is good. And it's a good title," Emerald sighed.

"It's hard; leaving Ebony," Ruby said, eyes flicking around the room. "And we don't leave _them_. They replace _us_."

"Oh," suddenly, Yuffie felt bad for the girls. They were all younger than her and were completely helpless to change their situation. "Hey, what would you like to do, if you move away?"

"Newscaster."

"Fashion."

"I don't want to go," Sapphire said. She was by far the most intelligent of the three, but her statement made Yuffie reconsider.

"'Phire, how can you say that?" Ruby hissed, almost inaudible. "You have the creepiest boss of all of us. You said so yourself."

"Yes, but I believe in Dr. Green," she said stubbornly, her blue eyes set with conviction. "He'll make everything better."

"How?" Emerald pressed the scientist's aide. "How does an old Shin-Ra plane help with anything?"

"Hey!" Sapphire snapped and gave a suspicious look to Yuffie. "We aren't talking about this. Not until we're sure."

"Sure, whatever," Ruby diffused the situation and turned to Yuffie, "So, Lucian likes miniskirts?"

"Excuse me?" Yuffie spluttered on her water.

"You're always wearing fancy minis," Ruby pointed out. "So does he like it? Or are you giving him easy access?"

It was like Yuffie's worst nightmare. And Ruby's words made Yuffie think that she didn't hate her boss as much as she said.

"Master Luc allows me to wear whatever I wish. I happen to like wearing miniskirts in this hot city."

"And it makes you look taller and shows off your nice butt," Emerald giggled.

"Those are not the reason," Yuffie patted her chin to dry the water she spat out. "But it is a nice plus, I suppose."

Yuffie did love showing off her legs when she did acrobatic stunts. Thus the short shorts.

The rest of the meal revealed nothing of what the men upstairs were discussing, but Yuffie changed tactics. If the girls trusted her more than their boss, it would be easier to flip them later. When the men came down to collect their women, the four females were all smiles and giggles.

"What was that all about?" Vincent asked as he settled into his seat in the car.

"Oh, just some girl bonding. How about you?"

"We are being tested."

"What do we have to give them?" Yuffie knew it was standard procedure to make a new member do something to prove their worth.

"Equipment."

"What kind?"

"Mako chambers."

Yuffie almost crashed the car as she snapped her head around. She turned forward just in time to follow the curve of the road, even though she took it too quickly. After a few calming breaths, Yuffie swallowed before repeating his words.

"Mako chambers?"

"Yes," Vincent fell into thought. There were very few left. WRO had some, but it was too noticeable to steal them when they were supposed to be undercover.

"Where are we going to get them?"

"Nibelheim."

The answer was obvious. The execution was less so. The reason was a complete mystery.

Alexander Green had been the one to make the request and Vincent knew the darkness, the obsession, that swam in the depths of the black eyes. It was a promise for a certain level of hell to rain on them all.


	6. Chapter 6

Silencing the Chaos

Author's Notes: A very, very big thank you to my reviewers, especially to CupofTeaforAliceandHatter!

Chapter 6

"We got it," Yuffie snapped her phone shut as she entered Vincent's study. She had been pacing in the gardens where there were no listening devices while she talked to her contact. "He was rather stubborn, but he made a deal."

Her wink told Vincent that Rufus Shinra broke down to the Wutaian Princess's plea to let them "purchase" some mako chambers.

"I hope you did not bankrupt my company," Vincent replied.

"Of course not, Master Luc, I saved a ton. I'm good at my job, remember?" Yuffie slid into her seat and kicked off her shoes. There was still the retrieval and transport of the chambers to schedule.

It took a week for undercover WRO agents to remove and ship three mako chambers from the Nibelheim reactor and an additional few days for it to arrive. All the while, Yuffie and Vincent were silently building contingency plans through written notes and car rides.

The night before the chambers were to arrive, Vincent had a visitor.

"Hello, V," Chaos perched on the edge of Vincent's consciousness.

"Chaos," Vincent greeted the demon. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"A warning. Even something you want is not always for the best. For you or those around you."

"Is this supposed to be a revelation, Chaos?"

"No, V, just a reminder. And I hope you realize that the people you choose to be around now, are more important than whatever you had with her."

"You do not understand, Chaos."

"No," Chaos's voice reverberated with anger. "_You_ do not understand. You are always moping about your lost love, about the four demons you have in your mind, but, Valentine, it's not just bad for you. Have you even thought for a moment what it was like for us?

"Don't answer, I know you haven't. Screw it, V, you went after the one person who didn't want you and this entire spiral of crap happened. You got shot; died, even, then got experimented on. It would have been fine. Leaving you zombified. You wouldn't have known. But then! Your nutcrack, selfish little girl had to go and disrupt my life, no, my _existence_! Because she was _so sorry_. Sorry, my ass.

"Selfish. Spoiled. That's what that witch was. You think _I'm_ the demon? No, I was created this way. By the Planet! Then she and your dearest daddy had to go and dig us up! Shoved me into your soul, but not allowed to exist the way I need to be. Harnessed by this… Protomateria.

"And you know what? This means neither of us can rest. Ever. We don't belong here anymore."

"Are you done with your ranting?" Vincent had heard all of this before.

"No, shut up and listen. I'm just getting started," Chaos felt Vincent sigh. "Tell me what you will do…if _she_ came back?"

"She can't. She died."

Chaos's laugh was darker than the night sky, colder than the depths of the ocean and crueler than the end of life itself.

"Did she now? Are you sure of it?"

"She's frozen in crystal to protect the Lifestream," Vincent explained patiently for the billionth time.

"What kind of crystal? Protect the Lifestream from what?"

"Mako…Jenova," Vincent responded slowly. The wheels were turning in his mind.

Chaos dodged an imaginary gear as he crept away.

"Keep thinking, you'll see why I mentioned it to you, V," then he was gone.

Vincent stared at the ceiling. There was no way they could know about Lucrecia. Her cave was well hidden, unable to be seen from the air. And if they did know about her, about Jenova, then Alexander was going to try and bring back everything AVALANCHE stopped years ago.

Sleep did not claim him that night. Instead, he left his room to trek silently downstairs to Yuffie.

Her door was unlocked an it swung open without a noise. In four long strides, Vincent was able to look down on Yuffie's sleeping form.

It never ceased to amaze him at how peaceful and quiet she could be. During the day, Yuffie was always so energetic, to see her otherwise was a small miracle. Her soft breathing played with the strands of hair that fell over her face.

Without thinking, Vincent reached out to brush them aside. In a flash, his wrist was in a fierce grip and a blade cut through his hair as he dodged her knife.

"Yuffie," he whispered, fully waking her. It had been well over a month since they used their real names.

"Vinnie?" She paused, glaring at him. After a beat, she released his wrist and lowered her knife. "What are you doing?"

"I could not sleep."

"So you came to disturb mine?" Yuffie yawned and laid back down. She peered up at him through hazy gray eyes and patted the bed for him to sit. "What's wrong? Nightmares? Chaos?"

"Chaos," Vincent sat, sinking into the soft bed. It was much softer than his. "He was talking about… Lucrecia."

"He's bitter," Yuffie patted Vincent's hand tiredly with her small one. "But did he have a reason this time?"

"A warning about what these Overlords are planning."

"Mako chambers and Dr. Crescent? Hm," Yuffie pondered sleepily, drumming her fingers along Vincent's knuckles as she thought. They were fleeting moments of warmth against his skin. "I can see why, I'm just really tired right now."

"Go back to sleep," Vincent told her. He shouldn't have bothered her in the middle of the night.

"You can stay if you want," Yuffie mumbled as she drifted off to sleep again. The possibility of him staying was slim, but Yuffie offered anyway, never even thinking that they were the words that would put him most at ease.

She woke as the sky tinged pink and as she turned to inhale deeply and stretch, she heard her door close.

"Good morning, Master Luc," Yuffie greeted Vincent as he entered the dining room, dressed and ready for the day, half an hour after she woke. "Your newspaper and coffee."

Vincent sat and pulled the coffee cup closer to him. Surprised at his movement, Yuffie felt her eyebrow twitch in confusion. Apparently, the lack of sleep was more dire than she thought.

"Did you rest at all?" Yuffie poured him a refill as a server set breakfast in front of them.

"I rested," Vincent said quietly. That did not mean he was able to get any sleep.

"Good," Yuffie smiled at him. They ate in silence as Vincent went over the newspaper and Yuffie checked their agenda. When their dishes were cleared, Yuffie listed the phone calls due and their most important and long anticipated meeting with the Overlords.

"I will call them after we check the condition of the chambers," Vincent told Yuffie as they went up to the office.

"The ship is scheduled to arrive at three o'clock. I will ready the car to go to the dock at that time," Yuffie set herself down and programmed her many alarms for various appointments throughout the day.

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As three o'clock rolled around, Yuffie was packing her bag to organize her papers when her phone rang.

"Rose, baby, it's Phil."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Phil, what can I do for you?"

"I can't help but notice this gigantic ship coming into our port."

"Yes, as I understand it, there is a special present for you and your friends, Mr. Phil," Yuffie looked to Vincent for back up. He motioned for her to hand the phone over. "Mr. Travers would like to speak with you."

"But, Rose—"

"Mr. Phil, this is a pleasant surprise," they walked down together as Vincent spoke and Yuffie went to fetch the car. "We are going to see your merchandise."

"Shall I meet you at the dock? I'm sure the others can get away from work for a little while and I know Alex is as giddy as a school boy."

"There is still time before the items are unloaded. I will call again when everything is completed with the dockmen. You know how long they take," Vincent gave a businessman chuckle that made Yuffie shiver.

"Alright, we'll wait for your call."

Yuffie and Vincent waited in the car as they watched other goods get unloaded and packed onto trucks.

"We're getting close," Yuffie said. Vincent knew she meant they were getting to the root of their mission, not their goods on the boat.

"Yes, but we must not let our guard down."

"You got it, boss man."

They saw the large container with their logo on it get placed in a warehouse. It was the last thing off the ship. A dock manager was flipping through the file as Vincent and Yuffie approached him.

"You must be Mr. Travers."

"I am."

"Good. Sign here, please," the man held out a clipboard and pen. "You'll be able to keep this here until Friday. But then it needs to go."

"I am sure it will be moved by tonight," Vincent returned the pen.

"You have the key for this thing?" The man jabbed a thumb at the multitude of locks.

"Yes, thank you," Yuffie held up a key. The man left. Yuffie pocketed the key and pulled out her lock picks. "Like I trust a key in the mail. Who do you think I am?"

"The Great Ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi," Vincent said to himself, but said nothing aloud. It was good that she hadn't wasted time trying to procure the real keys. She was much faster with her picks.

After a minute, the last lock clicked its release and they pulled the doors open. Yuffie flipped on a flashlight and entered the container. There was no obvious external damage and the WRO team had picked the best looking ones.

Vincent made the call and Yuffie replaced the locks with ones they bought locally that the key she pulled out earlier unlocked.

When the cars arrived, Yuffie braced herself. They had the chance to break the case wide open if they played their cards right.

"Gentlemen," Vincent greeted the three men as they neared. Going up to shake hands, Vincent led them to where Yuffie waited by the locked container. "Your special order."

"Hi, babe," Phil greeted Yuffie. "Open her up, won't cha?"

Yuffie pulled the keys out and unlocked the container. Alexander, still in his white lab coat pushed her aside to pull open the doors and scurry inside. His laughter echoed against the steel walls.

"This is it. With a few adjustments, it'll be perfect," Alexander ran his hands over the cool metal fittings of the mako chambers.

"Looks like you are true to your word, Lucian," James said. "Send her away, we have more to discuss."

The portly man pointed at Yuffie and she fought to stop herself from hissing at him like a cat.

"I trust her with everything," Vincent said simply.

"Not with this," James said firmly. "We'll drive you home. Send her away."

"Then shall I have her remove all your listening devices to give her something to do?" Vincent's eyes were stoic, though his smile was that of a manipulative trickster.

"You," Phil stuttered, appalled at Vincent's forwardness. "Fine. But you must swear not to talk about it. Until we allow it."

"Rose, go home and exterminate. Make sure they get back to the proper people."

"Yes, Master Luc," Yuffie gave the key ring to Vincent before striding to her car. Phil's attention on her did not go unnoticed by anyone.

"Focus, Phil," James walloped the dreamy eyed man. When the rumble of the car engine faced, the men turned to look at Vincent. "What do you think of our world, Lucian?"

"Philosophy from a weapons provider?" Vincent chuckled. "I adapt, my friends. When there is a war, I sell to an army. When there is peace, I sell to the people."

"A man who benefits from both peace and chaos," Alexander said. The irony earned a scoff from the identically named demon in Vincent's mind.

"But chaos is better, right?" Phil asked.

"Yes, from the monetary side," Vincent agreed.

"And we all love money," James said, dusting his sleeve of imaginary dirt.

"I love science," Alexander said. "But since you all love money, I'll give you chaos to profit off."

"Mako chambers help?" Vincent inquired without pressure. Losing ground now would cause all three Overlords to clam up tight and eradicate all possibilities of unraveling the mystery.

"You have no idea," Alexander petted the chambers. "She will wake and she will be the ultimate revival for our golden era."

The scientist opened his phone, "Sapphire, bring the truck and the team. We have them."

"We will take you to see her," Phil told Vincent as the scientist wandered off to complete his call.

"Who will I be seeing?"

"Our goddess. The one who sleeps in crystal. The mother to our angel," James looked at the sky dreamily as he spoke.

"Everything will be better when she wakes," Alexander came up and patted Vincent's shoulder. "Jenova."


	7. Chapter 7

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 7

"Rose!"

Yuffie and everyone else in the house came as Vincent strode into the house.

"Master Luc," Yuffie eyes were wide as Vincent grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the office she just left. The door was slammed shut and Vincent shifted his eyes around.

"Bugs?"

"In the bags of the employees waiting to go back to their owners."

"Send them all home."

"Sure thing," Yuffie nodded and had to tug her arm free to leave the room. Her bare feet padded silently, she hadn't taken the time to replace her footwear in her haste to fulfill Vincent's order. He heard her bellow, "Fitzroy!"

In five minutes, the house was empty. Vincent sensed it and Yuffie did a physical sweep of the house to double check.

"Uh, Vince, if anyone asks, the sex is just a cover up, okay?" Yuffie grinned apologetically. "It was my last resort, I swear, and I don't think Fitzroy bought it anyway."

"Did the spies?"

"They were the ones to leave before Fitzroy gave the final order."

"Then it worked well enough."

Vincent was pacing. He never paced. It was a bad sign. Yuffie went to her desk and pulled out a small semi-automatic. Quickly unloading it of all bullets, she threw it at Vincent.

"You're freakin' me out," Yuffie said.

He sat and disassembled the gun in a matter of seconds and reassembled it with just as much speed and grace. Twice more he went through the actions.

"Calmed down now?" Yuffie was juggling bullets with one hand.

"Yes."

"Good," Yuffie snatched the gun away before he could fiddle with it again. He followed a strict, no talking rule during gun disassembly time. "What'd they say?"

He gave her a long, hard, completely silent stare. She stared back, trying to concentrate on his eyes. Gray and crimson were locked for a long minute.

"No good," Yuffie broke contact first. "Okay, so you're sticking to your promise with the Overlords at the harbor. You won't tell me. Does Chaos know?"

"Yes."

"Let him out. He can tell me. It seems like he has had a lot to say on the whole subject since we first got here."

"No."

"Vincent," Yuffie hadn't used his full name in a long time and the seriousness in her tone made Vincent pause and look at her intently. She had the training to rule a country and she was displaying it well.

Her expression softened and she perched carefully, tugging her skirt hem down, on the edge of Vincent's desk where he had, moments before, taken apart the gun and put it back together. Small fingers stretched out and Vincent sat still as she traced the lines and curves of his face.

"These weren't there before," Yuffie's fingers stroked the wrinkles between his eyes. "This burden is _ours_ to share. We're both on the job. You know I hate it when other people steal my thunder."

"We all have things we dislike."

"Is it better if you don't tell me?" Yuffie's fingers gripped Vincent's chin as he tried to turn away. For being so tiny, her grasp was steel tight. "Is it safer? Am I safer by you not telling me?"

Vincent closed his eyes and sighed.

"Do you want me to go flying into this situation blind?" Yuffie gave him a little shake, the same thing she did when she found a sock in her cat's mouth and it refused to look at her when she wanted to scold it.

Crimson eyes slid open sadly and looked up at her through dark lashes.

"No."

"Then you have two choices: break your promise or let Chaos out," Yuffie released Vincent's chin. Pushing him would be fruitless at that point.

"I promise not to hurt her, V," Chaos assured his host. "Ninja girl and I got along over our Deepground days, just like you. Besides, it is Galian Beast and his…primal, animal instincts you have to watch out for."

"Not necessary to mention that, Chaos. Stick to what you heard, then let me back," Vincent said firmly.

"Sure, V," Chaos smiled. It did nothing to reassure Vincent.

There was a twist in the fabric of nature and suddenly there was not enough room between the back of the chair and Yuffie. Where Vincent's leg had been a few inches away, Chaos's was a few inches between Yuffie's knees. His wings were cramped behind him, awkward in the desk chair.

"Long time, no see, princess," Chaos's voice rumbled in Yuffie's chest as he spoke.

"Hiya, Chaos," Yuffie sidled away, embarrassed at how the demon's leg had pressed hers apart.

"No need to be shy, I'm not Valentine," Chaos smiled.

"It's not that," Yuffie said, stuttering over her words a little. She had forgotten what it felt like to be near Chaos when not on the battlefield. Like how a powerful cologne can overpower more than just the sense of smell, Chaos had a way of oppressing all of a person's senses.

When Chaos stood, the room seemed to dim at his physique. The glowing yellow eyes, the pale bluish skin, the dark wings. As he stepped closer to Yuffie, she gulped, but didn't move back. That made Chaos chuckle.

"Something funny, Chaos?"

"Just admiring your bravery, princess," he circled her, quiet for all his bulk. "Anyone else would shy away. Demon like me walking up to them."

"You're not a demon."

"What did you say?" Chaos stopped behind her.

"I don't think you're a demon. You are what the Lifestream made you. No, the Planet. If anything, you're a higher being than humans. Long life. A destiny, job, whatever," Yuffie waved her hand around.

"I like you. You aren't stupid."

"Finally! Finally, someone sees the truth."

"Alright, listen up, ninja girl. The plan is to revive the Jenova cells in… Lucrecia Crescent," Chaos shuddered at the awful taste in his mouth when he said her name. He went to stand in the center of the room where he had room to spread his wings a little. "They will revive…"

"Her."

"Yes, _her_, from the cave. Adjustments to the mako chambers, they hope, will liquefy the crystal to allow access to her. Then they will do tests to find out if they need to revive both or if they can leave _her_ dead inside the mako chamber and still get to the Jenova cells."

"Can they bring her back to life?" Yuffie was taking notes. "I mean, it took three other entities for Vinnie to become a possible host for you. And you are the only way Vinnie 'came back' to life."

"I'm sure this Green guy can figure it out. He's cunning. Just as bad as Hojo and _her_ put together."

Yuffie pondered, but shook herself awake to ask him to continue.

"These Overlords want superior people again. They will use mako, taint, Jenova and whatever else necessary to become superior beings."

"Can we prevent it? Cure the Jenova in her using Aeris's Healing Rain?"

"You mean like that Geostigma," Chaos pondered. "Perhaps. But you can't just splash it on her crystal."

"Alright, but it's an option."

"Yes. Though, be careful. Nothing of _her_ went to the Lifestream. She isn't technically dead."

"She's in stasis," Yuffie nodded. "Maybe…we should ask Aeris to take her away, like Kadaj."

"You can try. But the situation will have to be fully explained, both to Aeris and Valentine."

"Alright, thank you, Chaos," Yuffie put her notes down and smiled into the golden eyes. She saw them glaze over briefly before a wicked and mischievous glint covered them. "What—"

"A parting gift," Chaos strode to her in one giant step.

His knees slid between hers, pushing her legs apart and her skirt up as he grabbed her forearms firmly in his hands and pushed until she laid on her back, half on, half off her desk. Chaos shifted his grip so one hand held both of hers above her head.

"You're cute when you're flustered, pissed and turned on," Chaos grinned as his free hand worked at sliding her skirt up more so when she tried, in a gallant effort, to kick him, he managed to rub his crotch against hers, completely throwing her off her game.

Then suddenly, there was another twist in reality and Vincent was the one pinning her down, rubbing against her and had his hand decidedly up her skirt. They both froze. Vincent in absolute confusion and Yuffie in panic. Unlike when Vincent was in control and Chaos chose to pay attention, when Chaos was in control, Vincent had no way of telling what was going on. It was like he was in a locked room in Chaos's mind, whereas Vincent's mind was Chaos's playground. Which explained Chaos's mad, cackling chant of, "Do her, do her," echoing in every corner.

"Yuffie," Vincent said, very quietly and very slowly, as if talking quickly would be bad.

"Vincent," Yuffie stuttered out, just as quietly in response.

"What is happening?"

"Uh, Chaos is… causing chaos?" Yuffie couldn't move, didn't want to move. Even breathing was dangerous.

Chaos had been sneaky, transforming so Vincent would pitch forward even more. Their bodies were now tight against each other. Each breath, no matter how shallow, pressed her chest into his, his into hers. If she tried to get away, she knew more sensitive places would rub. It had been a while she had been, even remotely, in the situation where intimacy was tangible. With his heightened senses, she knew he could hear and feel her erratic heartbeat, see the contraction of her throat as she swallowed and, worst of all, she knew he could smell her arousal.

"Why?" Vincent could barely get the question out.

"I think he wanted to pull a prank on you," Yuffie's back was starting to cramp and she was losing blood to her right leg as it hung awkwardly over the edge of the desk, but was unable to reach the floor. Ironically, her left leg was fine since Vincent's hand was holding it over his hip with the hand under her skirt. "Can you let go now, Vinnie?"

Finally regaining his motor abilities, Vincent backed away quickly. If he had the capability of showing emotion, Yuffie figured it would be horror.

Struggling from his sudden departure, Yuffie flailed slightly before sliding off the desk, pulling down her skirt and closing her legs. What she didn't notice in her rush to fix her clothes was Vincent's struggle to swallow as he watched the white satin disappear under the skirt. Now he had something else to haunt his mind. It was hard enough with her prancing around in a short skirt, now he knew what she wore beneath it.

Embarrassed, Yuffie coughed and picked up her notebook.

"So Chaos said they want to revive the Jenova cells in Dr. Crescent to create a superior race. Like SOLDIER," Yuffie hid behind her desk.

Vincent made a noncommittal grunt. He still wasn't going to talk about it. What Yuffie didn't know, was that he was suddenly unable to form words.

"I suppose I won't be able to go with you when you all go see her?"

She watched the back of Vincent's head carefully for the small nod.

"I'll contact headquarters. Maybe they'll send us some of the water from Aeris's church," Yuffie reached for her phone. Her eyes flicked up as Vincent left the room with less than his usual grace. "Reeve, we have a breakthrough."

When Yuffie got off the phone with Reeve, she scurried down to her room. There were sounds of Vincent taking apart, what sounded like, his entire gun collection.

Embarrassment was not a welcome emotion for Yuffie and she did everything to expel it. In order for that to happen, she knew she had to get her hormones and, more importantly, her pheromones, back to normal.

The water was hotter than necessary as Yuffie scrubbed soap everywhere. She was fairly certain that she was imagining things.

"I mean, seriously, Chaos has no need to reproduce, so he might not have the same anatomy. Him changing back to Vincent would account for the difference," Yuffie cackled in near hysteria. Vincent liked tall, shapely, grown up women. One with long hair and a calming voice in particular. There was no way her short, skinny, loudmouthed self could get _that_ reaction from Mr. Faithful. "Oh, holy Leviathan, I was doing so well. Stupid Chaos."

0000000000

Upstairs, Vincent was graced with the absence of Chaos's taunting and laughter. But, instead, was forced to confront his many thoughts.

The mission. Lucrecia. Jenova. Yuffie. Lucrecia. Yuffie. The possibility of Lucrecia alive again. The idea of Lucrecia free of Jenova. The feeling of Yuffie pressed against him. Pressed tightly and hotly against him. The smell of Yuffie's skin. Of her.

Yuffie was always so warm. Both in personality and physically. Unlike Lucrecia. His first love kept all her secrets. Yuffie kept none from him. She was always open and free with telling him everything.

Being with Yuffie was comfortable. Never once did Vincent feel bad about being himself. With Yuffie, he was free to be Vincent Valentine. Not the son of Grimoire, not the Turk, not anyone else.

With Lucrecia, there was love, but loneliness as well. He was pushed aside. Guilt gave birth to Sephiroth. He still loved her. He knew that. But conflict raged in his mind. Did he want her back? Did he want to cure her and continue to love her?

Or did he love the idea of loving Lucrecia?

Sounds of metal pieces sliding filled the room as he disassembled his entire gun collection again.


	8. Chapter 8

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 8

Once again, Yuffie was out of the loop. She sat on the car hood with Ruby and Emerald as Vincent and the Overlords toured Alexander's lab with the newly installed mako chambers.

"Trust me, it's creepy in there," Emerald was checking her hair in the reflection of the windshield.

"We went in once," Ruby shuddered. "No more, thank you very much."

"I don't like not knowing things," Yuffie pouted, trying to imitate their range of emotions.

"It might be better if you keep out," Ruby said.

"Hey, hey, I heard you sent away your entire staff so you could jump your boss. Dish!" Emerald scooted closer to sandwich Yuffie between herself and Ruby.

"I only said that to get _your_ bosses' spies out of the house. Besides, Master Luc was upset. He could have killed anyone he who got in his way," Yuffie struggled between her flesh cave of arms, legs and breasts.

"Uh-huh, sure. And you're the only one he wanted around during this fiery state?"

"Some say sex with an angry or frustrated partner can be more exhilarating than other times."

"Leave it to these girls to have large vocabulary when the topic is sex," Yuffie thought to herself.

"So James always gets great sex from you, huh, Emerald," Ruby joked. "You're always angry at him."

"With good reason! But, Rose, you should get yourself checked. Who knows what kind of diseases are out there," Emerald patted Yuffie's knee.

"I'm telling you, we didn't do anything!" Yuffie scrambled away.

"She's flustered!"

"How cute!"

"Rose."

"Get off the car!" Yuffie hissed as she turned around to face Vincent, "Master Luc, I trust everything went well."

"Yes."

"Where to, Master Luc?"

"Home."

Yuffie opened the door and let Vincent climb in. As she passed the girls, she heard them ask, "Do you call him, 'Master' in bed, too?"

She aimed to run them over. They squealed and giggled as they ran out of the way.

"So," Vincent said quietly, "did we sleep together?"

"No," Yuffie retorted, a little sharply. "They don't buy it, though."

"Ah," Vincent replied shortly. He didn't have the brainpower to deal with all of the problems he faced.

The mako chambers were installed and tests were running on how to dissolve crystal.

"I am going with the Overlords next week to retrieve Lucrecia."

"I'm not allowed to go, am I?"

"No. Not yet."

Whining noises emitted from the front and Vincent heard her shift in her seat.

"I will try to convince the Overlords to include you."

"Maybe I should just sleep with Phil," Yuffie's voice was scathing and Vincent flinched at both her words and tone.

"Please, do not."

"Puh-lease, I wouldn't even if it stopped Meteor," she made a gagging sound. "Urk, carsick now."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Pull over."

Yuffie pulled the car to the side of the road. Vincent got out, opened her door, leaned in and unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Move," he nudged her over. She crawled over the gear shift and central panel into the passenger seat. He couldn't climb into the car until he moved the seat all the way back.

"No," Yuffie groaned as she heard settings change. "I had the perfect setup."

"Quiet," Vincent chided her when he finally pulled into traffic. "And no vomiting."

"Yes, sir," Yuffie closed her eyes and focused on playing fighting patterns in her mind to distract from the motion.

"Home."

Yuffie staggered out of the car. Having not been motion sick for a while now, her body was reacting more unpredictably than it normally would for a car.

"Are you alright?" Vincent crouched next to Yuffie as she collapsed on the ground.

"Fine, fine," Yuffie swallowed the fresh air and scratched the ground, running the pads of her fingers harshly into the dirt.

With odd fascination, Vincent watched Yuffie claw the ground and take deep calming breaths.

"Better now," Yuffie stood slowly, backing away so he couldn't see up her skirt. She had an inkling he already saw, but that just meant she tried harder to stay decently covered in front of him.

"There is still work to do. Leave the car here."

"Are we going somewhere later?" Yuffie retrieved her items from the car and followed Vincent inside.

"Phil wants us to stop by one of his clubs for drinks."

"Maybe I can get into your secret society, too," Yuffie grinned and hurried up the stairs ahead of Vincent, her bout of queasiness now a mere memory.

0000000000000

"Business or club?" Yuffie held up her clothing options for Vincent's approval. He knew the Overlords better; knew the best chances to win them over.

"Club," he said grudgingly. "Do you have shorts you can wear?"

"Shorts? Yeah," Yuffie was confused as she slung the hangers over her shoulder.

"Wear something in which you are comfortable. The situation is unknown."

"Best to have some comfort, right, boss?" Yuffie grinned. It was another hint he gave before their mission. Having an aspect as simple as the type of socks or hair tie could ground confidence in the shakiest of situations.

Skipping off, Yuffie went through the near empty house.

"Rose."

"Fitzroy," Yuffie turned to the older man, wondering why he was still there when everyone else was dismissed. "Can I help you with something?"

"You wouldn't be keeping secrets, would you?" Fitzroy stepped out of the darkened corridor to circle Yuffie.

"Everyone is entitled to have a few."

"Any of them that would jeopardize our boss?"

"Speak plainly, Fitzroy," Yuffie ordered.

"I don't like you, Rose. Watch yourself. You'll find out soon enough that female assistants to the powerful serve their master best on their knees or back," his eyes glinted coldly as he turned and walked arrogantly out the front door.

"Ignore him."

Yuffie looked up to the second floor landing where Vincent stood, watching their exchange.

"I know," Yuffie walked to her room to get ready. "Besides, I always figured you would be the one on the bottom."

Her incessant laughter carried through the house even after she closed her door.

0000000000000

"Lucian! Rose!" Phil yelled from the third floor landing of his largest club. "Up here!"

Vincent parted the way to the stairs, Yuffie hot on his heels. And that was what Phil said to her.

"Lookin' hot, Rose. Heels and shorts? It's like a fashion faux pas," Phil was lounging with his arm around a frowning Ruby.

"Ruby is clearly the better dresser, don't you agree, Master Luc? She'd never do something so stupid as shorts and heels to a club, what was I thinking," Yuffie smiled at Ruby and elbowed Vincent discreetly.

"Ruby, you look perfect, as always. Phil, honestly, you should stop spoiling Rose with your compliments. Ruby is more deserving."

"I love her enough," Phil pulled Ruby closer to his side. "But I don't think you give Rose the attention she needs."

"He's right, Master Luc," Yuffie looked up at him from the corners of her eyes. "Now that you have all this other work, you've ignored me. You don't need me like you used to."

"I do not do it to lock you out."

"Aw, don't be like that, Rose. It's not Lucian's fault," Phil stood and clapped a hand on Vincent's shoulder. "I never knew Rose was so clingy. Maybe I have to rethink this."

"No, it's fine," Yuffie sniffed a fake sob to add to her defiance. "All boys like to have their little secrets amongst themselves. I'll just stick with Ruby from now on. Don't be surprised if I start slacking off and not work every hour of the day, Master Luc."

Yuffie reached out and snagged Ruby's hand.

"Come on, let's dance and let our bosses keep their secrets," Yuffie dragged Ruby down to the sweat of the dance floor.

"Wow, she doesn't seem to function without you."

"When work is taken from her, Rose feels like it is an insult to her abilities," Vincent sat so he could see part of the dance floor.

"She could be wanting other attention. Maybe it's not the work she's interested in. Maybe she just wants to get your approval or attention. Maybe she's crazy! Has she ever been checked?" Phil ordered more drinks.

"She is not crazy."

"Ooh, protective. I guess I should back off. You wouldn't be packing in my club, but you might shoot me any other time," Phil chuckled as he grabbed up a glass.

"I would not shoot you. Phil, you gave me something great. No one liked me where I was and you welcomed me and my business here."

"Really?"

"Yes, but do not get too affectionate to my assistant. No one is sure how she will react."

"Do you trust her?" There was a serious tone that caused Vincent to turn and look at the dark man.

"With everything."

"Describe how you feel at keeping our work from her."

Phil could not have given a more difficult request.

"I," Vincent drifted off, not knowing where to start.

"I heard you banged Rose when you got home after we told you to keep it a secret," Phil wagged his eyebrows.

"That is only conjecture. What is true is I was upset at having to keep a secret from her."

"Upset?" Skepticism laced his voice and a broad grin crossed Phil's face.

"Secrets are not something I like to keep. Least of all to Rose."

"How did you survive the week and a half with a secret before getting the mako chambers?"

"Coffee. And not much else."

"You really want her in on this," it wasn't a question.

"I will not be completely honest if I did not say I hope to be free of keeping this from Rose," Vincent put on his 'I have sinned' face. It seemed to work.

"I'll talk to James and we'll persuade Alex. Just give us some time. Though," he downed his drink, "it might not happen before our trip. Give her extra love or work or whatever, since it's going to be an overnight trip."

"What?" Yuffie and Ruby were both shocked. They were flushed from their trip into the crowd and there was a sheen of sweat on their skin.

"Overnight?" Yuffie looked at Vincent. "You're trying to kill me, Master Luc."

She would have sat on him if Vincent didn't slide quickly over into the booth. Grabbing his half drunk drink, she tossed it back, sucking in air at the burn of the alcohol and earning impressed expressions from the others at the table.

"I don't want to do this in front of Mr. Phil, but Master Luc," Yuffie tugged his sleeve, looking only half way pathetic. "How insignificant am I to you?"

"Rose," Vincent said slowly, trying to talk her down before she hit hysteria. "I just learned about the overnight aspect. And you are very significant to me."

"You wouldn't know how to run your business without me, right?"

"Right."

"Look, Rose," Phil spoke up as Yuffie's lip started to tremble. "I'm working on getting you in the loop, just be patient for a little longer."

"You promise, Master Luc?" Yuffie acted as if Vincent had spoken, not Phil.

"The best men are on it, I promise," Vincent patted Yuffie's arm.

"Alright, fine. Sorry about my outburst, sir," Yuffie dropped her head in shame.

"I understand."

"You two have the weirdest relationship I've ever seen," Phil picked up another glass.

"You have no idea," Yuffie whispered beneath the beat of the music and slid drinks closer to Vincent.

After the appropriate amount of time in the club, Vincent made excuses and the pair of undercover agents left.

"We are almost there, aren't we, Vince?" Yuffie asked from the foot of the stairs when they got home.

"I think so," Vincent looked down at her.

"Are you okay?"

"I do not know what you mean."

"Chaos isn't giving you too much trouble for… where your thoughts might be… lingering?"

"He haunts me. To mock me for more than one reason."

"And?"

"And I am handling him."

"Okay. I'm here if you need anything," Yuffie gave him one of her bright smiles. "But I'm going to shower, so give me some time before you need anything."

"Good night."

"Night," Yuffie said and watched Vincent disappear into his room. Turning for her room, Yuffie thought, "It's bothering him more than he's letting on."

That night, Vincent slept in a chair in Yuffie's room, at peace with her mere proximity.


	9. Chapter 9

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 9

The night before Vincent left with the Overlords to retrieve Lucrecia from her cave, Yuffie sat on Vincent's bed and triple checked each of his guns.

"You are worried."

"Not about you, I'm not," Yuffie was focused on the guns in her hands. "There's a lot that can happen there."

"And here, too."

"Don't let Phil near you. He might be homophobic, but he might only see long hair and nothing else," Yuffie packed the guns away with extra ammo and stashed a first aid kit as well.

"You be careful."

"I will. And I'll double our market share before you get home," Yuffie grinned.

"I am serious."

"I know," Yuffie was wearing her sleeping clothes and a robe closed tightly against the chilly night ocean air. Feeling one of Vincent's unusual speeches, Yuffie tucked her feet beneath her to keep her bare toes warm.

"They will probably try to rebug; do not let them. Do not fight with them or fire them. And be careful around Fitzroy. There is something not quite right about him. Arm yourself. Dress comfortably. Do not leave the house to the spies. If something happens, pull the plug. Do you hear me?" Vincent had moved to stand in front of Yuffie and he gripped her shoulders as if she would run away.

"I hear you," Yuffie sighed. Pulling out of a mission was both dangerous and cowardly in Yuffie's mind.

"Promise me, Yuffie," Vincent was staring into her soul. It almost hurt, but that could have been his fingers digging into her flesh.

"Bruising, Vince," Yuffie laid her hands over his and brought them in front of her to hold tightly. Her eyes became set as she looked into his crimson gaze. "I promise, if the situation becomes a threat to the mission, I will pull the plug."

"To your life. You are not risking your life, Yuffie."

There was an odd way Vincent said her name and Yuffie couldn't place it.

"My life has been on the line for every mission I take, Vincent," her voice was soft and she let him pull free.

"Not for this. Do this for me. Do not risk your life."

"Worried about if something did happen to me? On _this_ mission?" Yuffie stood on the bed, successfully looking down on him. Something that happened very rarely.

His silence was answer enough.

Scoffing, Yuffie showed a mask of disgust.

"I thought you got over this whole moping sinner stuff. I am my own person. If something happens when you are away, as we _plan_, then who do you think you are to take on the blame?" Yuffie jabbed a finger into his chest. "You do not get that right. No one does. Not you, not the boss, not my father. Got it? Now get some sleep. You'll have to keep one eye open with all those freaks."

Jumping off his bed, Yuffie shoved her feet into her slippers and stormed out the door.

Who did he think he was, telling her what to do with her life?

"Good night," Yuffie froze in mid-step and looked up at the sound of the, one part sad, one part apologetic and four parts neutral, voice above her. "Sleep well."

"You too."

0000000000000

"You are a bad man, V," Chaos commented.

The demon took up residence in the foreground of Vincent's thoughts, keeping the gunman awake.

"What do you want, Chaos?"

"I just wanted to inform you that, as much as I hate the witch, I am going to do you a personal favor and stay away from the whole things for the next two days."

"And what spurred this sudden, generous, act?"

"Well, honestly, I think tearing those three apart might be enjoyable and a positive outcome overall, but," he paused, "it might not be for the best. Definitely not good if it puts ninja girl in danger."

Vincent did not feel like responding.

"No comment? Fine. I'm going. Don't do anything stupid."

000000000000000

Yuffie hated paperwork. It was easier when Vincent was sitting in his chair staring ahead into space. Now, in the empty office, Yuffie was kicking her heels. She replayed the image of sending Vincent off.

The bag in Vincent's hand was sixty percent weapons, ten percent first aid and thirty percent actual travel needs. He climbed onto the helicopter without any further words. He only said two words to her that day.

"You promised."

Yuffie growled and clicked viciously with the mouse to pull up files and correspondence. She would keep her promise. And she would double Armory Corp's market share as well.

0000000000000

"Isn't she beautiful?" James breathed in a whisper as he led Phil and Vincent into the cave.

Lucrecia was, as always, perfect. Her facial features were peaceful now, in comparison to the first time Vincent saw her embedded in the crystal. But none of the others seemed to know.

"She is," Vincent whispered. Like always, her beauty left him slightly in awe. It had been over a year since he last saw her; when he forgave her and went home to Edge with Shelke. "I can see why you call her a goddess."

"It's not her looks that matter, Lucian," Alexander said as he approached them. "It's what she has inside her that makes her divine."

"I dunno, she's really hot," Phil said, causing Vincent's nerves to bristle. "I mean, for a dead woman."

"It's called the Revival Project for more than one reason, doofus," James smacked the back of Phil's head.

"So how are you getting her out of the cave?" Vincent's inquired to the scientist.

"Easily."

The sound of a chainsaw filled and ricocheted off the cave walls.

00000000000000

Unfortunately, Fitzroy was the first one to see Vincent when he was dropped off at home by Phil the following day.

"Welcome back, sir," Fitzroy relieved Vincent of his bag and followed his master upstairs. "How was your trip?"

"Very exhilarating," Vincent said in a tone that showed none of the excitement he supposedly felt. "Where is Rose?"

"Here, Master Luc."

Yuffie was holding the frame to the office. Though she was smiling at him, she was not her usual bright self. Her body seemed tired, as if it was fighting just to lean against the doorway.

"Take my bag and follow me, Rose."

Yuffie stepped forward and had to wrestle the bag from Fitzroy who held on just to spite her. With a glare and a twist of her wrist, she took the bag and followed Vincent into his room where he waited to close the door.

Pointing to the bed, Vincent indicated for Yuffie to sit. Taking the bag from her hands, Vincent unpacked as he listened for Fitzroy to finally leave.

"Are you sick?"

"No," Yuffie pulled her knees up to her chin and tipped over to lie on his covers. "I don't know."

"Did you sleep?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Thinking. Working," Yuffie peered up at Vincent. "How was your trip? Not assaulted by Phil, I hope?"

"It was fine. They want to meet tomorrow. They want you to see the lab."

"Really?" Yuffie raised her head slightly, hope giving her some strength.

"Yes. So you need to be better. What happened?"

"I was fine last night. Breakfast just isn't agreeing with me, I guess."

"Go rest. I will do everything today."

"I'm fine if I can sit," Yuffie, laboriously, sat up and unfolded her legs.

"Are you disobeying a direct order?"

"Yes, Master Luc. Not even sickness, not even you, will come between me and my work," Yuffie stood and meandered to the door. "Take a shower, Master Luc, you stink."

When Vincent went into the office with slightly damp hair, he found Yuffie with her cheek cradled against her fist with a half glazed expression.

"Close your eyes," Vincent sat at his desk and clicked open a document on his computer.

"No, I'm working," Yuffie said through a yawn.

"Half an hour. You have a call then and I will not have you falling asleep during it."

He didn't have to say any more. Yuffie's eyes slid closed and her breathing changed. Vincent stood and left the office, closing the door behind him.

"Fitzroy," Vincent found the steward in the front room supervising the maids as they cleaned.

"Master Lucian, what may I do for you?"

"What did you feed Rose?"

"Sir?"

"She was fine before breakfast. Now she is not."

"Perhaps Rose just has a sensitive stomach today."

Vincent nodded and walked away. All he had wanted to do was see Fitzroy's face as he lied. When he opened the office door, he saw that Yuffie slid down, almost falling off her chair.

Moving carefully, Vincent picked her up. The fact that she gave no response to his touch told him that Yuffie was not just sick. He saw her once, half dead with the flu and dosed with Tranquilizers, jump up and punch Cid square in the solar plexus for pulling a blanket over her.

It was a drug of some sort. Vincent just hoped Yuffie could overcome it.

"That's what happens when you leave her alone, V," Chaos tsk'd in humor. "Though, it's about time someone drugged her. Did you see how she runs your house and business? She's worse than you."

"Say something useful, Chaos, or nothing."

"It's a poison. You know the scent in her skin."

"I recognize it. But cannot place it."

"Maybe the word, Gelnika, helps."

"Unknown Three," Vincent inhaled and focused on separating the poison from the other smells and finally coming up with the 'name' of the poisonous enemy found on the sunken ship.

"Bingo. Those guys were ugly."

"So those were parts of the Gelnika in the lab last time."

Vincent went and fetched an antidote. There was no way to know for certain if a generic antidote would work. But it wouldn't hurt to try.

With five minutes before her appointment, Yuffie woke up, took the antidote at Vincent's command and finished the day the way she started it: working.

0000000000

Yuffie was fine the next day. She bounced on her heels as she waited for Vincent to call her over. It seemed as if Alexander still had reservations about letting her in, but when she started on about doing everything to serve her "Master Luc," he relented, but made Vincent swear that she wouldn't sell them out.

"Rose."

"I swear. But just let me serve you in all your work, Master Luc."

"Does that work for you, Alexander?" Vincent turned to the scientist.

"I trust you, Lucian. Enough."

They toured the busy lab and Yuffie saw the mako chambers parts of the Gelnika and, finally, Lucrecia.

"She's beautiful," Yuffie was always enthralled whenever she saw the woman. Though, it was usually because it was like a gigantic piece of materia encasing the beauty. It was that awe that Yuffie channeled. "She holds Jenova cells in her body?"

"All the reports say so," Sapphire replied to Yuffie when Alexander ignored the question.

"Doctor Green is so lucky to have such a smart assistant like Sapphire," Yuffie 'regained' her composure to compliment both on their scientific advancements.

"We will start the crystal dissolving process in just a moment. If you'll all have a seat, I will get it started," Alexander pointed to some chairs a safe distance away from the science team and equipment.

Yuffie sat on the end of the row, beside Vincent. He was tense, even if no one else noticed. Leaning over, Yuffie pressed the side of her arm against his, transferring some of her heat to him. He turned to look at her and Yuffie gave him an encouraging smile. One that said he would overcome whatever came their way.

"Gentlemen, ladies, scientists!" Alexander's voice rang out. "Today marks a new beginning. Our goddess is back, even if her form is different. With the life in her cells, we will bring back a superior race. One that will be thousands of our greatest angel, Sephiroth. And with this superior race shall come order and a higher society.

"This is our goddess and we shall wake her, and with her, shall restore Jenova. Welcome to the Revival Project."

The crystal holding Lucrecia was set inside a mako chamber and shut. Pipes pumped liquid mako in. Machines clicked, whirled and beeped.

Green glowed.


	10. Chapter 10

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 10

It was almost three o'clock in the morning when Yuffie snuck into Vincent's room. She had swept the house of bugs and made sure there were no lingering spies. By going to bed with their usual routine, any lookouts left by two o'clock.

"Vinnie?" Yuffie stuck her head into the room.

"Come in."

With a running jump, Yuffie dove onto his bed and crawled under the blankets with him. The air was cold and Yuffie was fighting off the sniffles from being in the cold lab all day. It hadn't been exactly what he meant, but he did nothing other than shift to give her more room.

"We can call in the troops," Yuffie said, holding up a small device. "I video recorded Green's speech."

"We have no grounds to stop Phil or James."

"I panned. Discreetly," Yuffie was smug. "I even avoided catching you in the frame, so you can continue doing undercover work."

Vincent's silence was not reassuring.

"Vince? What is it? I don't know what you're thinking. I'm no Chaos."

"Yes, I am grateful you are not."

Yet, he did not speak his mind. Like the obnoxious girl she was, Yuffie started poking and prodding, pulling and pushing at him.

"I'll pull the Protomateria out of you and ask Chaos myself," she threatened, even though there was no way she could inflict that kind of pain on her partner. Not after seeing the state he was in the last time it happened.

"I…want to be selfish."

"Okay," Yuffie sat up, "what exactly does this entail?"

"I want Lucrecia to rest. Properly."

There was a long pause and Yuffie shifted again.

This time, it was to face Vincent where he sat up against the headboard. She used his bent knees as a resting place for her arm as she planted her chin on her fist. She sucked on her teeth, making an annoying squelching sound that caught his attention. She smirked at his glare.

"You going to finish your explanation now?"

"Rest in the Lifestream, without taint."

Yuffie shot away from him; scrambled away off the bed. Horror and shock made her drop her video recording on his bed. She stood, shivering from the cold in her shorts and shirt.

"You…want this? You want them to get her out of the crystal? Do you even know what you're risking?"

"Yes."

"This is more than wanting to give the woman you love the rest she deserves. You want to risk the safety of the world? What about Cloud? He'll kill you if he found out!"

"There is a chance to rid the Planet of the last of the Jenova cells."

"It just gets worse! Now you're justifying! You _never_ justify _anything_!" Yuffie was pacing.

"Slow down, your breathing and heart rate are erratic."

"No shit, it's erratic, you moron!" Yuffie threw her hands up. It was a good thing she had no weapons on her. Her fingers were becoming itchy. "This is! You! Argh!"

She stormed out, slamming the door.

Three beats later, she came back in.

"Fine! But _you_ have to convince the commissioner. And _his_ word is final."

"I will contact him."

"Leviathan, help us all," Yuffie moaned as she stormed off again, just as angry as before.

0000000000

The phone call with Reeve did not go well. And airship with the commissioner and a small army would leave as soon as possible to put a stop to the Revival Project.

Even with Cid and Shin-Ra's advancements in technology, it would still take more than a day to prepare and arrive in Ebony.

That was enough to twist the fate for many people.

No one expected Alexander's theory to work so quickly. Of course, they didn't find that out until later.

0000000000

Things spiraled out of control when Reeve infiltrated the entire city of Ebony. People screamed and hid, some tried to revolt. But mostly, they stood, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, as the Overlords were handcuffed and carted off from their luncheon. More staring happened because Vincent and Yuffie were in the midst of it, leading the cuffed men away and ignoring all the yells.

Yuffie sighed after some of the noise quieted down. The WRO agents were doing a good job at creating order, holding conferences and meetings to delegate leadership and break down the Overlord system of the city. Several businesses closed that day. Mostly Phil's. Others sprang up.

"They are a very resilient population," Yuffie commented to Vincent and Reeve. She was finally comfortable again. She had her headband, her shuriken and her ridiculously short shorts.

"So it seems," Reeve clapped a hand on both agents' shoulders. "Good job, you two. Now show me this lab."

"This way, boss man," Yuffie skipped down the road.

"Why the frown, Vincent?"

"She called me that during the mission."

"And it bothers you that she called me that?" Reeve let out a hearty laugh. "She calls all her authorities that, sorry, Vincent."

"Ruby, Emerald!" Yuffie reached the two girls milling in the shade of an awning. "You're free! You can leave Ebony!"

"Actually, it's Rachael and Emily," Ruby grinned. "The bosses hate remembering new names, so their assistants are always Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire."

"I'd believe it," Yuffie retched to the side in mime of what she thought about it. "Hey, hey, Reeve. Can we help these two get jobs later? Newscaster and fashion, right?"

The girls nodded as they turned to Yuffie's real boss.

"Sure. If you think they're good. They did know about the plan, though."

"And couldn't do a damn thing about it, either. But," Yuffie looked over her shoulders to survey the girls with a crooked brow. "You could question them and decide for yourself. They do have to give statements anyway."

"We'll consider it," Reeve waved a couple agents over to take care of Rachael and Emily.

"Hey, Rose?" Emily called out as the WRO members turned away. "Sapphire's still in there. Her name is Sophia."

"We'll find her. No worries."

"Hey!"

"Yeah?"

"What's your real name?"

"Me? I'm the Great Ninja and Materia Hunter, Yuffie Kisaragi!"

Yuffie twirled around and ran to catch up to where Vincent was leading Reeve to the lab.

"So we picked up all three at James's restaurant. Why would Alexander leave the lab?" Yuffie jumped onto Vincent's back, slipping slightly from the unfamiliarity of Vincent's back without his cape. "I would have thought Alexander would refuse to leave."

"The process is long, Phil probably harassed Green into it," Vincent said and waited patiently as Yuffie scrambled for her perch.

"Yeah, I could see that happening," Yuffie chuckled her signature 'nyuk nyuk,' as she pictured it. "Oh, a girl, Sapphire, real name Sophia, is in there. She's Alexander's assistant."

"Will she come easily?" Reeve asked. Yuffie snickered, earning her confused looks.

"Sorry, gutter thought. In all honesty, I don't think so, she was different than the other two. Though, I believe she only stuck with Alexander because he taught her about science. It could be the work, that will keep her."

"Is she crazy?"

"Dunno," Yuffie shrugged. "We're about to find out."

They arrived. The doors were open and WRO members were guarding it.

"On point, Vincent."

Detaching herself, Yuffie let Vincent take the lead, pulling out her shuriken to follow. There was a shower of sounds from the two dozen cocking guns behind them.

"Careful, there's mako," Yuffie warned and fell into step with Vincent.

Vincent lead the way to the back chamber with Lucrecia. At every intersection they felt officers break away to check the rest of the building. It was the very last room in the lab where they stopped.

"Everyone, put your hands up and slowly back away from the equipment," Reeve's voice rang out, surprising several lab technicians.

"What's this? Rose? Mr. Travers?" Sapphire looked up from the mako chamber she was inspecting.

"Sophia, it's alright, just put your hands up and come forward," Yuffie instructed.

"But, Rose, something is happening," Sophia looked at the small window of the chamber, but took a step away at the sight of Vincent's glare and raised firearm.

Yuffie went and led Sophia a few more paces away as Vincent looked into the mako glow.

"Reeve, get your scientists in here, now."

The WRO commissioner came forward to look for himself and immediately pulled his radio out, calling for his science team.

"I can help, Rose, Mr. Travers. I don't know what's going on here," Sophia gestured to the people, then gestured to the machines to say, "but I do know this. I can help."

"Reeve?" Yuffie deferred to her boss. "What do we do? She does know these machines."

"I cannot take the risk. Not with Jenova cells on the line," Reeve said firmly. Turning to Sophia, he continued, "Sorry, dear. It's nothing personal."

"Rose—"

"It's Yuffie, Sophia."

"Yu-Yuffie. I can help. I promise."

"It's not my call. It's my boss'."

"I thought," Sophia looked at Vincent, then Yuffie's clothes and weapon, then at Reeve. Realization dawned on her. "It was all a lie."

"I'm sorry, Sophia. But we needed to stop this. We came for one thing and got something else entirely. Be honest and maybe you can give us that help in a little bit, okay?"

"Okay. Be careful," Sophia called after her as a soldier led the scientist out.

"So what is," Yuffie started as she stepped to the chamber. Peering in, Yuffie paused, looked at the quiet and downcast Vincent, then back inside again. "Holy Leviathan, protect us all."

The crystal had all but disappeared.

00000000000

"What are we going to do?" Yuffie sat on a lab table far from the mako chamber, the WRO scientists and Vincent. The question was running through her head over and over. There was nothing she could do. Reeve had given her orders not to enter another agent's jurisdiction in collecting statements and there was no riot control. That left her the choices of twiddling her thumbs or kicking her heels.

At the rate the crystal disappeared, it was only a few hours, tops, before Lucrecia was completely free of the crystal prison. Who knew what the crystal did to her body functions. From what Yuffie remembered, Sephiroth dissolved the mako crystal cocoon and woke up nearly instantaneously. The Black Materia probably had some effect, but that did not exist anymore and couldn't be used as a comparison.

Then there was the issue of whether or not Lucrecia was actually dead. She went into the mako alive and that stopped her from entering the Lifestream. That also meant that if her body could handle it, she could come back. Frustrated with her growing headache, Yuffie scratched her head. She knew she should have stopped it sooner.

If it was up to her, she would have. But it wasn't her call. In a perfect scenario, she would have told Reeve the moment Lucrecia was mentioned and Vincent would have been pulled. They might have stopped the Overlords weeks earlier. They might have protected Lucrecia.

Yuffie buried her head into her hands. She just wanted it to be over. She was tired of being Rose Aoyama. Tired of being so close to Vincent and know it wasn't going to happen. Tired of trying to rival his perfect woman, who was dead. Tired of thinking of "what if's."

A small gloved hand patted her knee. She flinched and kicked, causing Cait to tumble away.

"Ouch. Calm down, lassie."

"Sorry, Cait. You know better than to sneak up on me."

"Yeah, blame my new update. I think it wiped some minor files," the accented cat robot hopped onto the table beside Yuffie.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take your report."

"I haven't written it."

"I have recording capabilities now. You talk, I record, it comes out as a written file. Easy-peasy."

"Right now?" Yuffie sighed and looked across the room to where Vincent stood with an avidly speaking Reeve. "Fine, nothing else I can do anyway. I just wanna go home."


	11. Chapter 11

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 11

As it turned out, Yuffie was allowed to go back to Edge with most of the WRO members after a day of giving her report to Cait. Vincent and Reeve stayed in Ebony to keep tabs on Lucrecia and Jenova. They didn't tell her anything and Yuffie refused to ask.

Vincent was kind enough to see her off.

"Here, take these," Vincent held out a satchel.

"Tranqs?" Yuffie peeked in and saw several bottles clatter together inside the confines of the bag, liquid sloshing around as she jostled it. "Thanks."

"Do not mention it."

"Did we get Fitzroy? Something never matched up with him," Yuffie looked between Vincent and Reeve.

"You mean the steward? Yes, we have him. Won't say a thing. I'm sure Vincent can fix it," Reeve smiled. Turning to Yuffie, Reeve said, "Take a couple days off. Get resituated at home. Then take care of the office."

"Yes, sir," Yuffie saluted to Reeve, waved to Vincent, then crawled onto the airship to find a kitchen corner with a sink and a freezer full of ice.

000000000000

"You're sure you don't want to tell her?" Reeve asked as they walked back to the lab, the airship was taking off behind them, engines half drowning out Reeve's words.

"No need to tell her."

"I don't like it, Vincent."

"I know."

Reeve sighed and stopped walking, watching Vincent's back. It was weird without his signature red cape. The personality of the gunslinger was different too. Though, Reeve perceived that the prospect of having one's love back and being able to cure her of infectious cells would make anyone act a little different. Keeping secrets was sure to bite Vincent in the ass, though, no matter what he though. Especially if the other party was Yuffie.

Running to catch up with Vincent, Reeve told him as much.

"I know."

"You think Yuffie won't find out."

"No. I think she will."

"And?"

"Yuffie will not do anything about it."

The WRO commissioner could not do anything to convince Vincent of anything else, so he fell silent and turned his mind to the root of their problem.

Lucrecia was free of her crystal, now in a chamber of potentially tainted mako. As long as it stayed sealed, then so, too, was Jenova. The science team was figuring out how to destroy Jenova cells without fear of leakage. Reeve brought water from Aeris's church, but there was no way to be completely sure if it would work.

"I need to talk to that Sophia girl," Reeve told Vincent and reluctantly left to interview the scientist.

000000000000

Yuffie was glad to be home.

Everything was just as she left it. It also meant she had bills to pay and no food to eat.

"Hey, Tifa," Yuffie had her phone cradled in her shoulder as she pulled her checkbook toward her and opened her letters with a small throwing knife.

"Yuffie, you're home?" Tifa's voice sounded happy. A pleasant change from Vincent's consistent stoicism.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout not calling before. Was busy being airsick and all that. You know how it is."

Tifa's laugh was light and heart-lifting. "Don't worry, Yuffs. You up to having dinner with us? The kids would love to see you. They've gotten so big now, you'd hardly recognize them."

"One's still a boy and the other a girl, right?" Yuffie heard Tifa's laugh and agreement. "I'd like that. I can take the terror back, too."

"He was good," Tifa cast a look at Fireball, the orange tabby cat snoozing in the window. "Come over whenever you're ready."

"Okay, see you later, Teefs," Yuffie dropped her phone into her hand and finished paying her bills.

Looking at her home, Yuffie let out a sigh. It was good to be Yuffie again, but that did not mean she had any time to relax. There were so many issues bombarding her mind that, on top of her headache from puking, she was getting a complete set of body aches from thinking of Lucrecia and Jenova.

"What am I gonna tell Spike?" Yuffie groaned as she thought about Cloud's response to a threat of Jenova's cells. At best he'll try to destroy something. At worst, he'll kill Alexander Green for the Revival Project, Rufus Shinra because he's the last Shinra to blame, Vincent for actually being sentimental, Reeve for standing around and Yuffie because she should have done something.

Hopefully, Tifa would manage to keep him under some level of restraint. It wouldn't be good to let their children see Daddy go crazy.

By the time Yuffie stood in front of the Seventh Heaven, she still had no plan of what to do.

"Yuffie!" Marlene and Denzel ran up the street to her, arms full of groceries.

"Marlene, Denzel!" Yuffie smiled cheerily at the preteens. There didn't seem like much of an age gap between them, but Yuffie realized that she couldn't really relate to them. They were innocent, she was not. But then again, Yuffie really wasn't like anyone else, so she really shouldn't have been surprised. For some odd reason, it just popped into Yuffie's mind.

They went into the bar where their ears were assaulted by crying babies and a yowling cat.

"Yuffie!" Tifa left the bar to pull the ninja into a hug. "How are you?"

"Tired," Yuffie admitted. "Where are my adorables?"

Twin squeals went up and Yuffie went over to the babies grasping for her attention. Blonde Rosa and brunette Wolfe Strife did not look like twins at all. But it didn't seem to bother the one year olds at all.

Yuffie played with the babies and was scratched by her cat while the Strife household prepared an early dinner before the bar opened for business.

"Can you talk about what your mission was?" Cloud asked as he tried to maneuver his fork away from Wolfe's demanding hands.

"Some. The Gelnika was hauled up by WRO, but then everything went missing. Vinnie and I had to find out why," Yuffie passed the vegetables to Denzel as she spoke. "The city we went to was run by three leaders in an Underworld system."

"What was your cover? Something scandalous?" Tifa winked. There was a time when Yuffie had to go to her female friend for her first risqué undercover job. Never again did Yuffie choose that route.

"No, I was Vinnie's assistant. Basically, I did the work, he looked pretty and did rich arms' dealer stuff."

Cloud laughed as he pictured it.

Somehow, Yuffie managed not to have a mental breakdown and tell them everything. After dinner, Yuffie helped by giving the babies a bath. Doing so saved Cloud a mountain of trouble as Yuffie just stripped off her clothes and went into the bathtub with them. Cloud had never mastered the technique of juggling two wet, soapy babies and stubbornly said that it was a female thing and said so as he pulled on gloves to wash the dinner dishes. The bath also gave Yuffie time to regain her bearings. Focusing on the children was good. Seeing the Strifes working diligently together was even better.

As much as she wanted to stay in the warm, happy, slightly inebriating, atmosphere, Yuffie bid her farewells, promised to be back soon and left with her cat draped around her neck to fight off the chill that always existed in Edge.

The weather was definitely going to destroy her balance for the next day as she recalibrated her body. She bought groceries and cat food on the way home without problems. When she unlocked her door, the cat finally jumped off and darted into the bedroom for a nap.

"I don't even know how I managed to not spill everything," Yuffie said in awe of herself as she put things away and recalled her evening. "You know what? This situation is not in my control. Let it go. I'll just reserve 'I told you so' rights. Yeah."

Yuffie pushed furniture out of the way and went through all of her exercises in an attempt to help clear her conscious. That and after over a month of not doing them, Yuffie was starting to feel lazy and weak. Working out recentered her mind to focus on what was more important. The WRO commissioner left her in charge. She had to remove the clutter from her mind and make room to make the right decisions for what she did have control over.

After one day of readjusting to Edge life, Yuffie was back in her office at the WRO headquarters. Under a mountain of paperwork.

Thankfully, she also had a miniature fleet of people to help her with it. Even Cait was productive and helpful; most of the time. Reeve called everyday for updates, but gave none of his own.

Until, on the fifth day, he told her to clear out a warehouse in old Midgar and cooperate with Shin-Ra company to get electricity wired.

"You want _what_?" Rufus sounded irate. With good reason. "First you want to buy mako chambers at a ridiculous price, now you want me to put wire into Midgar?"

"It's not _me_ that wants this, Rufus," Yuffie sighed and massaged her eyes as she shifted her grip on her phone receiver. "Talk to Reeve if you want to try and get an answer. But don't expect to get much from him. Besides, it's a headache I'm sure you don't want."

"Fine, but you will personally oversee this. I'm not going to be landed with some rumor that I'm trying to restart my old man's hellhole or anything."

"You have no idea," Yuffie whispered beneath a groan. Then she spoke up to respond with, "Yeah, okay, we just need some of your people and equipment. We'll do it all under the WRO name. Shin-Ra never went into Midgar. How about that?"

"Fine. Come to my office. We'll finish it here," he hung up.

"A pleasure, as always."

0000000000000

Yuffie managed to fulfill both Reeve and Rufus's requests without a hitch. And just in time, too.

Reeve called just as Yuffie finished clearing a path from their makeshift landing site to the main doors.

"Yuffie, where is it located?"

"West sector, zone seventeen. Landing site has lights on," Yuffie said as she peered into the darkening sky. "You should be able to see it."

"Roger, get everyone back to headquarters. We'll take it from here."

"Alright," Yuffie said a little shortly and snapped her phone closed rather than hang up properly. "Alright guys, let's get outta here! Boss don't wanna see our ugly sweat covered mugs!"

The workers laughed and piled into the trucks. Yuffie slid into the driver's seat of the last car with her office team members. Everyone in WRO knew better than to pry further into a mission they weren't briefed into; you do the work you're asked and then you get out of the way.

"We're all home bound," Yuffie called Reeve as they exited the west sector of the destroyed city. "Have fun moving in!"

She hung up before he could say anything and the others scolded her for hanging up on their illustrious leader.

000000000000000

Behind them, Reeve's airship touched down and they rushed to move all the equipment into the warehouse and connect everything up. Guards patrolled the area and set up a system to maintain protection from intruders, media and random strangers.

Inside, Sophia worked alongside the WRO members as they checked the machines. There was a reason why they had moved the lab to Midgar. One, it was closer to the WRO forces. Two, it was closer to the source of Aeris's Healing water. And finally, three, it was closer to where everyone lived, including Vincent.

Reeve was very apprehensive to the whole plan, but Vincent had asked. Vincent Valentine never asked for anything. Ever. And he near about begged Reeve for the chance. Vincent was willing to take on full responsibility and to put the safety of the Planet above all else when the time came.

Lucrecia had opened her eyes, spurring Vincent's request and Reeve's demands of Yuffie. They were still running tests on Lucrecia and the mako was healing her body out of stasis. With their new facility, the plan was to exchange the liquid mako and purify it. Comparison between pure mako and the mako around Lucrecia was the best they could do, so it would be dangerous, but Sophia and the WRO team were confident.

While the scientists worked on the mako, Vincent and Reeve were in deep discussions. If Lucrecia was cured or if it was ensured that the Jenova cells did not leave her body to taint others, Lucrecia could live in the world. Curing her inside the mako chamber might not be possible. Showering her with Healing Rain could cure her one she was out of the mako. In which case, she would be able to live again. Live without guilt. Live with Vincent.

They stood in front of the glass and explained everything to Lucrecia. She seemed to understand. Scientists had tested her cognitive abilities throughout the day and affirmed that her mind had returned to a level of an average scientist. Perhaps not the level she was before, but enough to understand the conditions of her release.

There was no telling what was going to unfold next.


	12. Chapter 12

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 12

Yuffie skipped town when she found out.

Reeve convinced Vincent that they at least owed it to AVALANCHE to tell them about Lucrecia before they let her out of the mako chamber. Cid had been good enough to round up Barret and Nanaki and transport them to where Reeve and Vincent were waiting in Aeris's church with the others.

Cloud had cursed, Tifa stopped him; Cid swore, Nanaki chided him; Barret cussed and Yuffie said nothing. All reactions were within reason. As Vincent explained, heavily aided by Reeve, his reasons to the others, Yuffie walked out. She didn't even have to try and sneak out. No one noticed anyway.

She went home, packed a bag, changed and dropped her cat off in the WRO office where someone would take care of him. Then she ran off. She didn't care where she went. She just wanted to get away. There was a boat heading to the Northern Continent, filled mostly with people heading to Icicle Inn for an early vacation. She got on without much thought.

Wrapping her jacket around her and checking her boots, Yuffie headed for the Forgotten City. It was quiet, but definitely not peaceful. That was exactly the mix Yuffie wanted. She made sure to clear the monster infestation around her chosen seashell house before turning in for the night. She pulled out a sharpening stone and worked it along all of her blades. Normally, the ringing sound of metal against rock soothed Yuffie's nerves. It did nothing for her that day.

"It's the stupidest thing he's ever done. Including spending thirty years 'atoning' in a damn coffin," Yuffie barely avoided slicing her finger off. "Oh, I can see his benefits. Beautiful girlfriend is back. Cure her from Jenova. Pretend she's not the reason your father died, you live off someone else's life force. Pretend that what she and your father did didn't almost destroy the planet. Sephiroth and Kadaj. Aeris and her mother. _My mother_," Yuffie slammed down her tools. She felt the tears prick her eyes and she blinked them away. "That is not her fault. Not Sephiroth's. Not Rufus. Just that damn fatso Shinra. Him and the damn war."

Everything was so interlocked. Yuffie almost wished that she was ignorant. Normal. Unaffected.

Her breathing was ragged as she rubbed a hand over her face. It wasn't her choice. There was a reason she worked hard to be in a leadership role in her missions. She liked to have the power to make a choice. Even a choice heavily influenced by the team or voted on was better than all the other aspects in her life.

Not choosing her status, not having the ability to get away from her responsibilities. Not being able to choose her childhood. The war took her childhood; Sephiroth took her mother; Shin-Ra took her life.

Jenova gave some people life, or a chance at it, like Sephiroth and SOLDIERs. But it took many more. Aeris's mother and innocent civilians by the thousands.

Yuffie hadn't minded that Lucrecia had Jenova cells while in her mako crystal. But knowing she could be walking around, potentially spreading the cells, it made Yuffie worried.

Worry was only the edge of the tidal wave of emotions Yuffie felt.

Terrified. Alone. Abandoned. Distrusted.

More and more cascaded around her and she curled up on the bed, eyes tight and hands clamped over her ears. It felt like Nero's darkness all over again.

Despair.

From years before, Yuffie was trying to convince her heart that there was no good at attaching herself to Vincent. Like a heavy smoker trying to get over a nicotine addiction. She was doing well. Even with Reeve's attempts and their missions together. She knew Vincent would never feel the same about her as she did him. That was fine. He took her for who she was; which was more than what others gave her. And it was enough. She was his partner.

Who he disregarded.

He tossed her aside. Tossed their mission aside.

For Lucrecia Crescent.

Yuffie really hoped Lucrecia appreciated everything Vincent was doing for her. If not, then it was just too pathetic for Vincent.

"Pull it together, Yuffie. You don't mope. Great ninja, material hunter, the White Rose of Wutai. You're better than this."

But she really wasn't.

She spent day after day picking fights with vicious monsters to vent her anger. Often times she would yell at the monsters about her troubles as she threw and slashed her shuriken.

Sleep eluded her. Night after night, she chose to sit by the lake instead. Meditation rejuvenated her just as much as sleep.

It was during one such mediation when she heard it.

"_Yuffie…Yuffie…_"

"Yes?"

"_What are you doing here?_"

"Meditating. Killing things."

"_Sweetie…that's not healthy._"

"Not for the monsters, no. I'd say it's rather not."

"_I meant for you._"

"I know what you meant, Aeris."

"_Why are you really here?_"

"I ran away. I ended up here. It's quiet."

"_And full of monsters._"

"Less so now."

"_What did you run from?_"

"A lot of things."

"_Did you actually leave anything behind? Or did you bring it all with you?_"

"Not everyone can forgive like you can, Aeris. I can't. I've tried. But…"

"_But what, sweetie?_"

"But, it's like every turn is a slap that reopens every single one of my old wounds. They all seem so fresh to me. Even though…"

"_Even though you try._"

"Aeris, I don't…think I can keep up with this. I'm tired. And I'm only twenty-one. There were still things you wanted to do at my age, right?"

"…_Yes…_"

"But you couldn't choose. I can. And I want to stop. I don't want to carry this hurt anymore."

"_Then you have to let go. Slowly, little by little. It'll take time and effort, but I believe that you can let them go._"

"How?"

"_Oh, there are many ways. Remember your mother's life rather than her death for a start. Break the chain into separate links. Pick one and make your attachments fall away. You don't have to erase everything. But heal the etching on your heart. You have to heal yourself. I can't do this for you._"

"Aeris?"

"_Yes, Yuffie?_"

"Can you cure her?"

"_Lucrecia Crescent? Of Jenova?_"

"Yeah."

"_She already is cured. Yuffie, there is no more Jenova._"

Yuffie opened her eyes and realized there were tears on her face, dripping onto her folded hands.

It was time to go home.

Time to make a choice.

00000000000000

Vincent had no time to worry about Yuffie. He saw her walk out. Then his mind was focused entirely on Lucrecia. Somehow, Cloud did not kill him; mostly thanks to Tifa. Though, she did have a few mutterings of her own.

But eventually, they all relented when they finally thought of just how precious Lucrecia was to him. His solemn oath to protect the world from Jenova was given and they stepped away to mill around the church and catch up with each other. It had been a while since they all saw each other, after all.

There wasn't much left to do other than wait and Vincent was anxious for the moment where he would see Lucrecia without crystal or chamber separating them. He wanted to talk to her. To see her smile, hear her laugh. To share a picnic basket.

Even though there wasn't much to do, it took a long time to analyze everything. Ironically, the person best suited to do the work was on the wrong side of the glass.

The idea of asking Shelke passed from Vincent to Reeve, but Reeve refused. Shelke was a normal girl now. She stopped having memories and flashbacks soon after she left the Tsviets.

So that left Vincent playing the waiting game. He divided his time being with Lucrecia when she was awake and getting everything ready for when she could finally leave. He furnished a side room for her, since she would not be able to leave the warehouse until they were confident she could not shed Jenova cells like a tree in autumn.

A handful of days later, the mako was confirmed to be clear after three separate tests run by different groups. Vincent watched as the mako drained and Healing Rain water got pumped in. The sickly glow of mako green washed away with the clear water and a team quarantined the area. More tests.

Then, covered in strange hazmat suits, a team of scientists went in and drew blood and did more tests.

A day went by before, finally, Lucrecia walked into Vincent's waiting arms.

"Hi, there," Lucrecia smiled up at Vincent and he swore his heart stopped, for there was nothing else he could have wished for in the world.

"H-hello."

"Your hair is long," Lucrecia reached up, not very far, to run her fingers over Vincent's cheek to feel the long strands of soft silk. "It's just as soft as I remember it all these years."

"I missed you, Lucrecia."

"I missed you, too… Vincent," her voice was soft, melodic, soothing.

"Mr. Valentine?" Sophia was pulling gloves off as she approached them. "Sorry to interrupt. There is something we need to talk about with Reeve, but Dr. Crescent should eat and rest first."

A WRO agent held a tray of food and led Lucrecia and Vincent to the side room. Sophia pulled out her phone to call Reeve before following. She wanted his protection if Vincent reacted poorly.

Reeve arrived and they went to the side room where Vincent watched Lucrecia sleep. At Reeve's nod, Vincent gently woke the slumbering woman as Sophia waited in anticipation.

"What is it, Sophia?" Reeve turned to the young woman.

"There is no delicate way of saying this."

"Go on, child."

"We're not sure how long you can live, Dr. Crescent. The mako crystal preserved your body and life source from entering the Planet and the Lifestream, but there is no accounting for the effects. You could be twenty-eight still and have a full life left. Or you could be well into your sixties and suddenly die. Or the mako crystal has given you your twenty-eight age looks and longevity as well," Sophia took a deep breath. "We also aren't sure if the cells are completely eradicated from our tests on the mako. Can you… feel them? Or something?"

"I feel the way I did before my first injection of Jenova cells all those years ago. It happened when that water filled the chamber.

"Oh, thank goodness," Sophia sighed, a wave of relief washed over her. "We have some more tests lined up, but, please, get some more rest."

"Thank you, Sophia," Reeve nodded for her to leave. When the door closed, the commissioner turned to look at the two on the bed. "So?"

"She's right. There is no telling how long I'll live. My life can be sustained longer with daily mako treatment, but I don't want that. Unless it's necessary," Lucrecia didn't look at Vincent.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to research something."

"What would that be, Dr. Crescent?"

"How Vincent can live without Chaos and the others."

Vincent stared into her brown eyes. Her bright doe brown, wide eyes.

"Why?"

"It was my fault, Vincent."

"I forgave you. Of everything. Do not worry about this," Vincent did not want her back so she would remove the entities vying for housing in his mind.

"How can you expect me to have peace, if you cannot?"

"I'll leave you two to talk about it," Reeve stood and left.

The thought of Vincent free of the four creatures in his mind was scary and shocking for Reeve to imagine. Vincent Valentine would be human again. To age and to experience the world with only his mind and senses. He wouldn't be the same man.

That much was for certain.

Inside the room, Lucrecia laid back down as Vincent asked her a question.

"What would happen to them?"

"I'm not quite sure. They had physical forms before. Maybe they will gain them back. I'll start with Hojo's files."

"Those files are gone. Hojo's files are not in the manor anymore and Midgar is destroyed. Shin-Ra does not have any of his science records either."

"How can you be sure? President Shinra held onto everything."

"He's dead. Rufus runs the new Shin-Ra company. He is nothing like his father," Vincent said, reminding Lucrecia that she missed out on over three decades of events.

"Oh, well then."

000000000

Reeve got to his office.

Yuffie was waiting.

"I'm leaving, Reeve. I can't be here right now. The world is in a good place."

"Yuffie, what do you mean? Where have you been?" Reeve closed his office door and stepped to her.

"I've been thinking. And I think… I need more of it. So I'm leaving. This is not the place for me right now," she held a letter of resignation towards him. "Thank you, for taking me in when I needed work. Now, I need freedom. Can you give me that, too?"

Reeve stared at the folded paper, then into Yuffie's tired face that was years older than she was, then back down.

"Yes, I can and I will."

His fingers took the paper.

"Good bye, Reeve."


	13. Chapter 13

Silencing the Chaos

Author's Notes: To all my readers who are swearing at Vincent's bulls***y attitude, let me tell you, I'm right there with you. But more importantly, thank you for believing in him and continuing to read. I can safely tell you that it will end, I'm finally writing what will become happy, happy, joy, joy for all who deserve it, *coughYuffiecough*. Hang in there and thanks for sticking around!

Chapter 13

Yuffie worked at Tifa's bar for a week, giving the pugilist more time to spend with her family. Tifa, in return, did not interrogate about why the sudden change in Yuffie's life. That much was fairly obvious.

Instead, Tifa tried to get Yuffie to stay in the city, rather than go gallivanting across the world on her own.

"I'll be fine, Teefs. Besides, I'll be here for a little longer. And my stuff isn't going anywhere," Yuffie was oddly skilled at barkeeping for all the fact that she was a total klutz in everything else. She flipped and twirled bottles and mixers, genuinely entertaining even the most sober of guests as she talked to Tifa.

"Yo! Cutie!" A drunk man raised his empty glass. "Another!"

"Coming right up, sir!" Yuffie called out.

"Yuffie!" Tifa scolded. They both knew the man had enough alcohol for the night.

"Don't worry, Teefs, I got this," Yuffie handed over the drink she finished mixing to the customer at the counter, then pulled a clean glass out and poured water into it and garnished it with a twist of lemon. "Voila!"

She sashayed to the corner of the bar and handed the glass to the man, saying it was a drink made especially for him. He downed the entire glass of water and was satisfied with his friends taking him home. Grudgingly, Tifa gave a look of approval. Most drunks refused to leave so amiably.

At closing, Tifa locked up after the last customer and turned to see Yuffie washing dishes.

"Yuffie," Tifa started again, wanting to continue her conversation from before.

"Tifa, I just need to be me for a little. You can understand that, right?" Yuffie stacked clean glasses to dry. "There's a lot cluttering my mind. I have to do some cleaning up there."

"Just promise to keep in touch. I have worries as it is. Don't let my imagination run wild with what you're up to, okay?" Tifa grabbed Yuffie's face and leaned in close.

"Okay, Mama bear, calm down. I'll call. But you can't harass me; deal?"

"Deal. I'll finish up. You go home," Tifa smiled and chased Yuffie out.

The next day, Yuffie woke bright and early and went through her workout before picking up her phone. Spring cleaning of her mind started with talking to one person.

"I would like to make an appointment to see President Shinra."

"He is free in the morning today."

"Perfect. I'll be there in an hour," Yuffie hung up and got ready to see her former foe.

"What do you want this time, Yuffie?" Rufus was ignoring her as she sat on his couch. "Rocket ship? Golden chocobo?"

"I wanted to talk to you, Rufus. No use for a rocket ship. I quit the WRO, you know."

"So I heard. Reeve is having a real meltdown without you," Rufus dropped some papers onto his desk and went to sit across from Yuffie. "So what did you want to talk about, princess?"

"You know I'm not a princess anymore."

"Like that really matters. You don't just stop being a princess."

"That's… not the point," Yuffie grit out and rubbed her forehead. "I came because I'm trying to clear my mind of all this stuff I have piled in there."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"Shinra brat," Yuffie said distastefully, causing Rufus to frown. "I'm sorry for calling you that when we were kids. And… I'm sorry for blaming you for your father's actions."

"You never made it seem as if you did blame me."

"Oh, but I thought it. A lot. I put the same blame for the war, for everything on you as well as your father. It's not fair," Yuffie's shoulders sagged and she looked aside, not quite sure what to do.

"I forgive you. Besides, I called you way more colorful names before. And cursed you for mucking things up after I took over the company."

"Are we good, then?" Yuffie looked into his clear blue eyes.

"Yes, we're good. But we won't be if you ask for more crazy things."

"So that's a 'no' on the Golden chocobo?" Yuffie grinned and stood. "See ya around, Rufus."

0000000000

"I can't believe this, V," Chaos was stomping in Vincent's mind, purposely trying to give his host a headache.

"I thought you wanted to be rid of me."

Chaos scoffed. "I accepted being with you after the Omega incident. _You're_ the one who wants _me_ gone. So you can be with little Miss Can't-do-wrong."

Vincent was in his apartment, sitting in his window sill and glaring at the moon like it was at fault.

"Why must you blame her?"

"What, like it was _better_ for you to live in torment with four monstrosities in your mind? Like it was better for me to be locked in you with the Protomateria? Like it's _natural_? Any of this?"

"I never said it was."

"Her greed. Her selfishness has never brought any good or even happiness to _anyone_! Why would this be any different?" Chaos growled. It was impressive just how pig-headed Vincent could be when it came to Lucrecia. "Fine. You know what? Fine. She'll end up killing us all."

Chaos started to retreat, but paused to say one last thing. "I've been in here a long time. And never once have I come across your 'Conscience.' 'Instinct,' yes. 'Duty,' yes. 'Conscience,' no."

Then he left.

Vincent had a lot to think about. Thoughts filled his mind and he tried to organize them. It was starting to get light when he finally admitted that there might be truth to Chaos's words.

He wasn't allowed to see Lucrecia that day, so he went to talk with Reeve instead. Since they got back to Edge, Vincent only went between the Midgar warehouse and his apartment.

When he got to the office, he saw more people running around on the top floor than usual.

"Mr. Valentine," one of Reeve's executive staff members exclaimed as he nearly careened into the gunman. "Here to see Reeve?"

"Yes."

"He's in Yuffie's old office, I think."

Vincent didn't understand what he meant, but the man had left with his teetering pile of reports. At Yuffie's office, Vincent maneuvered around a box of random items in the doorway and found Reeve and Cait going through cabinets of files.

"Reeve."

"Vincent! What are you doing here? I thought you would be with Lucrecia."

"Tests all day. What are you doing in Yuffie's office?"

"Ah, that's right," Reeve looked up and winced lightly at his scattered brain, or maybe it was a crick in his neck. "Yuffie… resigned. She's not here anymore."

"She left the WRO?"

Reeve nodded and busied his hands.

"The lassie said she needed to think. And that the world is at a place where she can leave. Who knows what that means, eh?" Cait tottered around with more files. "How did she function in this mess?"

"Where did she go?"

"How do I know? She won't answer my calls," Reeve threw down a folder. "My best agent, gone. Who's going to take on all this work? Cait?"

The robot whirled as it tried to go through the whole WRO registry. It lifted a hand and pointed at Vincent.

"I decline. Reeve, we need to talk about Lucrecia."

"Maybe that's why she left. You kept pushing her aside for Lucrecia. You never even told her good job for the mission," Reeve pointed Cait to the door. "Go get that."

"What is Cait getting?"

"You'll see. What did you want to talk about, Vincent?"

"Lucrecia wants to remove Chaos and the others from my body."

"Well, that's good for you, right?"

"Chaos is my lifeline. I was shot, point blank in the heart. I have no chance at living without him."

"Maybe that is what Dr. Crescent wants to research. How you, just you, can live. Taking them out does no good if it kills you," Reeve surmised. "Why mention it to me?"

"Chaos."

"I guess he has no particular reason to like Dr. Crescent. Don't mind him, Vincent. I'm sure he's trying extra hard to annoy you," Reeve tossed some files into a box and started on the new pile. "I'll support you no matter your decision."

Soft padding indicated Cait's return.

"This should help you see Yuffie's reason for leaving. Feel free to use the conference room. It's a long report," Reeve smiled as Cait handed up the binder for Vincent. "That is, of course, the edited version."

Excused, Vincent went to the conference room. There was no reason Reeve would be able to do anything about his situation. But Vincent found himself needing to tell others about his worries as of late. Most likely, it was from the prolonged exposure to Yuffie. She always asked for everyone's advice, even if she rarely used their suggestions.

Secluding himself in the conference room, Vincent opened the binder.

"Incident report of undercover mission in Ebony, July 2012 to October 2012; Principal WRO agents, Vincent Valentine, Yuffie Kisaragi."

Most reports were under five pages, stapled to a folder, but this one was well over thirty pages and held in a ringed binder to prevent loss.

Yuffie's voice rang out in his head as he read as if she were dictating the words; which they were. Even though she clearly wanted to rant and rave, she kept the report focused on telling the events of the mission, albeit with her perspective and observations. When he finally came across the first mention of Lucrecia, Yuffie's voice of dictation disappeared from his mind.

"Yuffie was half asleep at that time," Vincent recalled the night Chaos harassed him and he went to Yuffie's room.

Reading the report, Vincent thought himself a fool that he took comfort in her presence when she couldn't even say "Lucrecia" in her report. He could hear the reluctance and even a little distain in the black ink.

The rest of the report were little black splotches on white paper; toneless and dead. He saw what Yuffie described of her conversation with Chaos, how she learned of the revival of Jenova cells in Lucrecia. In the report there were plenty of sentences which read, "her [Lucrecia Crescent]," as Yuffie couldn't say the name. Just like Chaos.

As much as Yuffie's report displayed her distance toward the doctor, her ideas of ridding the Jenova cells within Lucrecia were sincere.

"She only cared about the mission," Vincent almost felt relief lap against his mind. Feelings and emotions were still largely disregarded, as he found them more of a nuisance than anything else. "Without the stress of a mission and no more Jenova, Yuffie can take time off."

He shook his head. He never used to talk aloud. Vincent leaned away from the report and looked out the window. Shafts of cold sunlight filtered through the early autumn clouds. Typical Midgar weather. Edge was less pollution and more natural cloud coverage, but, by sight, they looked extremely similar. He missed the dynamics of the clouds when they were in Ebony. The blue skies were nice, but they never held anything to watch.

Life was spiraling out of his control. And all he wanted to do was regain his balance.

Yuffie didn't need him. Lucrecia did. That much, Vincent believed. More accurately: Vincent needed Lucrecia, not Yuffie. If asked to choose, he would, without hesitation, save Lucrecia first. Only. If that was the choice.

Who was he to care if Yuffie ran off across the world? That was her choice. He wasn't going to stop her. He wasn't going to let it bother him.

He continued to read the report.

00000000000

Somewhere in a forest, Yuffie was hacking her way to Junon. There was a specific spot she was looking for; a grassy knoll clear of trees, but still in the middle of the forest. That was where she first met AVALANCHE.

That area was also clear of monsters and would allow Yuffie a quiet place in the green nature for her to be alone with her mind. As scary as that thought was.

There were times that Yuffie secretly envied Vincent. He always had someone with him to talk.

The shade of the trees fell away and Yuffie soaked up the sun. The hill was exactly the same as all those years ago. But it was better safe than sorry, so Yuffie swept the area twice before concluding that it was, at least temporarily, safe.

She set up camp; a small tent and her fire pit for cooking. Then she found the most comfortable spot to sit on the grass, taking wind and sun movements into account before finally settling down.

Starting with a prayer to Leviathan, she imagined water flowing through to clear her mind and to fall still like the Wutai lakes in high summer. Once in a state of peace, she fell into her mind, imagining herself amongst physical representations of the things in her mind. Memories, grudges, wishes and dreams were all scattered around her like a child's room with toys exploding from the toy box.

"Let's start with an easy one," Yuffie picked something up. A plush toy. It had black those, green eyes and long silver hair. "Sephiroth. Killed you. Cloud killed you twice. Jenova's now bye-bye. You aren't coming back."

The toy dissolved in her hand, leaving a sheet of paper in its wake.

"File cabinet," Yuffie thought as she spun around, her mind creating one so she could file the paper away. "File you away. What next?"

Yuffie picked up another representation of a memory and thought that maybe, just maybe, things would work out better than she originally thought.


	14. Chapter 14

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 14

Lucrecia was excited. She finally had a chance to undo her terrible act of tormenting Vincent by extracting Chaos. Her mind was as scientifically savvy as the day she chose to lock herself in the mako crystal. All she had to do was make sure Vincent could survive without Chaos and the Protomateria.

On the days Lucrecia was feeling energetic, she would run scans and tests on Vincent. He went along willingly. Whether it was because he was anxious to be free of the demons or he just liked being around her, Lucrecia did not know.

She asked him once and he didn't respond. She chose not to ask him again.

Beneath the Protomateria, there was no biological heart of significance. The glowing device regulated what was left of the scarred muscle and from what he told her, he could only survive a short time before Chaos would take over with his fully functioning heart. Creating a heart would be difficult, not matter what process or theory they used. Vincent was neither keen nor willing to have a heart transplant or a machine placed inside his chest.

The choices were dwindling and Lucrecia was getting restless to at least start the project for Vincent. She turned to the friendliest of the scientists for advice.

"Mr. Valentine? I'm not sure. I knew Mr. Travers," Sophia said as she took Lucrecia's vital readings for the evening. "You said he has a heart defect?"

"He was shot, in the heart, over thirty years ago," Lucrecia ended up telling more than she planned. After rambling for a few minutes, she concluded with, "So I want to extract them, but ensure that Vincent will survive."

Sophia tapped her pen against her chin as she thought.

"Well…"

000000000000000

Vincent was uncertain. It didn't help that Chaos had been missing for days. And though Vincent enjoyed having his mind to himself, this particular silence was different. Like it was in place for a reason. Like the silent treatment Marlene would give Denzel if he said something insulting.

"_Something on your mind, host_?"

Vincent felt a presence lurking in his mind. It had been a while since that one came out.

"Hellmasker."

"_Yes_?" The psychopath grinned beneath his mask. "_Chaos is ignoring you. The kids don't turn out right if the parents aren't on good terms with each other_."

"You are most definitely not my child, Hellmasker."

"_No, because that would be crazy. And a complete social no-no,_" Hellmasker let out a cackle of laughter. "_Oh, wait, that is all I am, isn't it? All the worst bits of society, aaaallll garbled together into a mess._"

He continued to laugh and rave.

Oddly, Vincent found a grain of some truth to Hellmaskers's words. Not only was Hellmasker an abnormality, a terror born from the darkest corruption of society, so, too, was Vincent. He was a scientific creation in his current existence. Something not natural. He defied the laws of Life. Not by his choice.

"**By crazy scientists,**" this was another voice. Large, deep and murky. Death Gigas was the horrors created by science. A monster created at the hands of others. "**Just. Like. Me.**"

Clarity hit Vincent like a ton of bricks, like a charging Behemoth, like landing without a parachute.

The two who haunted him the least were the ones most directly related to his circumstances. Because of science, he was, literally, a freak of nature, which translated into his inability to ever be accepted by the general society. People accepted Vincent Valentine, hero. Not Vincent Valentine, experiment.

Ignored, Hellmasker and Death Gigas retreated, grumbling about lack of appreciation.

"Chaos?" Vincent must be insane if he was actually calling for the winged entity. "Chaos? I need to talk to you."

The silence became stubborn.

"Chaos, please."

"What, V."

"I cannot let Lucrecia do any more experiments on me. The damage is done. I am becoming Hellmasker and Death Gigas. That is why they do not talk to me like you do."

"Who says I'm talking with you," Chaos snubbed Vincent and turned away.

"What I am trying to say, Chaos, is that if I decide this, you do not get the chance to be free."

"Freedom is death for me. No more Omega, remember?" Chaos said with a slightly patronizing tone. "And riding with you isn't always bad. If you're doing something interesting."

"I am going to tell her."

"She's not going to like it. But better do it before she gets obsessed. Bad things happen when humans get obsessed. Especially this one."

Vincent stood. Chaos was right. The fact that it was the middle of the night meant nothing.

Donning his cape, gauntlet and gun, Vincent felt better than he had for months. He never wore his cape in front of Lucrecia, choosing to maintain the look of Lucian Travers. Now, he was certain. He wanted to be Vincent Valentine.

He wanted to be accepted as Vincent Valentine. Monsters and all.

00000000000000

Yuffie's neck had a terrible crick in it when she finally pulled out of her meditation for dinner. Other than her tension headache of sitting still for hours, she felt great.

"Maybe I'll become a psychologist or something. Write a book when I'm done with cleaning my mind," Yuffie grinned as she worked out the kinks in her body before lighting a fire.

For about a week, Yuffie stayed there, alternating between hunting and gathering supplies and meditating. For being only twenty-one, she had a lot of things to let go. Grudges came easily; forgiveness, less so.

When she felt like she needed to see people again, Yuffie packed up her things and went to Junon. People were bustling between the different levels of the city, but Yuffie chose a cheap inn on the water's edge to stay for the night. She called Tifa, like she promised, but kept it short.

Tifa had no news about Vincent and Lucrecia, but said that Reeve came by the bar to say, "I miss Yuffie. There's too much paperwork." To which, Yuffie burst into laughter, heartily agreed and said good-bye.

After Junon, Yuffie left on chocobo for Fort Condor. They could always use a set of hands to exterminate their monster problem and Yuffie wouldn't turn down a free bed and extra cash.

Diligently, Yuffie continued to clean up her mind, so it soon resembled her old WRO office. Neat and in order, but only in a way that made sense to her.

She headed back to Edge. Even though there were a few things left on the floor of her mind, it was time to go home.

That was when he saw her.

0000000000000000

"Don't you want to be normal, Vincent?" Bewilderment in Lucrecia's voice carried in the lab and several workers glanced up. Upon seeing the dark red cape and glinting gold claw, they wisely turned back to their work. Even if their ears were still open.

"Normal," Vincent repeated. "You want to make me 'normal.'"

Lucrecia was silent as she was moved random vial around on the lab table.

"I just thought that… If I undid all these things done to you, then you could be happy," Lucrecia brought her doe like eyes to meet Vincent's gaze.

"Happy. I am happy with you. Here. Now."

"This is you happy? Vincent, you used to smile."

"It is hard to smile at this exact moment, Lucrecia."

"Then," Lucrecia went and held his human hand. "What is it that you want?"

"You. For you to accept me the way I am. For you to be happy, even if it means that we cannot be together."

"Accept you with those four? I couldn't do anything about what Hojo did. But I only put Chaos in so you could live," Lucrecia's grip was tight, but not as tight as another's had been. She forced a small smile. "If that is what you want, Vincent, then that's what we'll do. Together."

Vincent wasn't sure of her sincerity, but accepted it graciously. He even managed a ghost of a smile.

"Dr. Crescent!" Sophia approached. "Time to take your vitals."

"Vincent, I'm going to go. I'm sure you have other things to do today," Lucrecia gave his hand a parting pat and left with Sophia.

"Dr. Crescent, I had some ideas about," Sophia started to say, but stopped at Lucrecia's shaking head. "What is it?"

"Vincent doesn't want it."

"He doesn't want you to take those demons out? He wants to stay a monster?"

"Vincent is _not_ a monster," Lucrecia said defiantly.

"No," Sophia patted Lucrecia's arm as she took the medical readings. "He just has four of them in his mind, which were put there by a human monster. A burden _you_ share, Dr. Crescent."

The whisper in Lucrecia's ear sent a shiver down her neck. Those words floated in Lucrecia's mind.

"It is my fault. All of it," Lucrecia hung her head, dejectedly.

"Perhaps, but who really knows? It's just too bad you can't do anything to redeem yourself," Sophia said as she wrote on a chart before walking away, leaving the older scientist to her thoughts.

000000000000

Yuffie felt someone following her. It wasn't hard to tell in the stretch of land between the mountains and Edge. Though she hadn't gotten a clear look, she knew her pursuer was male and there was a sinister aura about him.

In a few hours, she would be in Edge. She could lose him in the sea of people or confront him away from innocent civilians. Scoffing, Yuffie made her choice. Why run when there was a fight to be had?

Johnny's Heaven, a sad little excuse of an outside café, was finally a speck on the horizon. It was now or never. Casually checking her armor and weapons, Yuffie picked a rocky butte protruding from the desert like plane.

"Alright! I've had enough of this! Come out, come out, whenever you are!" She sang and placed her pack behind a rock.

She had to wait a few minutes for the figure to catch up. He took his time. Apparently, he was quite good to stay so close, but still stay hidden from Yuffie's sight.

"Hello," he said as he removed a hooded traveling cloak finally coming to a stop several yards away from Yuffie. "It's been a while, Rose Aoyama. No. Yuffie Kisaragi."

"Fitzroy," Yuffie was stunned. The steward, a spy? She had no idea.

"You thought you knew everything? How pathetic," Fitzroy sized her up, circling silently over loose stone. He scoffed, "Females."

"If you're talking about the better gender, then yes, females," Yuffie retorted, starting up her own pacing, a mere breath on the breeze. "But, I figure that's not what's on your mind. Why are you following me?"

"Am I? I suppose I am. Do I need a reason?"

"It would be the polite thing," Yuffie wagged a finger at his lack of manners.

"Would it be?" Fitzroy paused, his thinking hat now on as he pondered. "Well, you _did_ put Dr. Green in prison. That is very bad."

"Naughty, even," Yuffie said in a sultry tone, just to make him angry.

"I will take the information from you, then get my revenge."

"See, now stuff like that just makes you sound really dumb," Yuffie told him, pointing a finger at him like when she scolded her cat. "Cuz, I'm not going to give you any info."

"That's where you're wrong," Fitzroy pulled out a gun.

What happened next was a blur. A hail of bullets, her thrown shuriken, feet running. Dirt was kicked up, but both people were little more than blurs of color in the brown dust of their surroundings. Several bullets grazed her skin and Yuffie brushed off the pain. Hot metallic smell mixed with the dirt as blood sprayed and dripped from both fighters as hits landed and scrapes were formed.

"Let me tell you something," Fitzroy said as he reloaded and dodged her attacks. "Dr. Green saved me. Gave me a life worth living."

"There's your mistake, bucko," Yuffie lashed out a foot when he got too close. "You rely too much on one single thing. Quite a burden for Alexander."

"I was _not_ a burden!"

Yuffie ran behind the pillar of rock and collected some of her Mental Power to cast cure on herself. She was glad that she always carried at least a low level cure materia with her. Some of her wounds closed and her fatigue ebbed.

"I'm just sayin' you need to diversify!" Yuffie jumped back into battle.

"We owe him. Where is he?"

There were no more words between them, Yuffie's shuriken was lodged solidly in his shoulder, red streaming from the wound, staining his clothes and pooling on the rocks and soaking the earth.

His laughter was haunting. The light dimmed from his eyes and he fell backwards, never to move again.

Panting, Yuffie reached up to brush her hair from her sweaty face. Her arm was slow and heavy. Odd since she had been fighting on a daily basis for a week straight. Suddenly, her vision blurred and she pitched to the side. She knew the feeling.

Poison.

Looking down, she saw blood sliding down the skin of her exposed abdomen. A growing circle of staining liquid spread out from the poisoned bullet hole in her chest.

Hope dwindled and Yuffie could only watch the twilight sky turn dark.


	15. Chapter 15

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 15

"Valentine, stop," Chaos perked up, his senses working as he sniffed the air.

Vincent was on the cusp between Midgar and Edge. Talking with Lucrecia had been only a minor success and Vincent was not convinced of her intent to stop her research.

"What is it, Chaos?"

"Blood."

"There is always the scent of blood in this sector."

"Not here."

"Then where and why does it warrant our attention?" Vincent sniffed the air for himself.

"South, outside the cities. And it should warrant _your_ attention because it's ninja girl," Chaos said with no pleasure in his voice.

"Yuffie?"

"Yes. Can't you sense it, V? It's strong. She must be bleeding a lot."

"No, I cannot."

"You better check anyway. I can fly if it's quicker," Chaos offered as Vincent started running for the barren land outside the city borders.

They waited until they were a sizable distance from the city before they took to the sky. Chaos's senses targeted Yuffie and they reached the battle site in mere minutes. From above, Chaos could map out the fight from the beginning prowl to the final shot.

He transformed back into Vincent and rode the shock wave as the gunman's senses filled with the sticky smell of blood and sweat and the image of the two fighters lying broken on the ground.

"Yuffie," Vincent crouched beside the ninja. She was alive. Barely. Fluttering beats of her heart kept a slow stream of blood flowing in her, but also from her still raw wound. "Yuffie."

A soft breath, not even a moan, was the only reaction he got to her name.

"Poison," Chaos commented. "Stronger than the last time. She needs a hospital. Magic will make it worse."

Vincent pulled out his phone as he surveyed the area.

"Reeve. I need you to send a team three miles south of Johnny's café. Yuffie is injured and Fitzroy is dead. I will bring her back, but her weapon and the body needs to be retrieved," Vincent spoke quickly as he tried to staunch the blood from her wound.

"I'll send a team and prep the hospital. What injury does she have?"

"Gunshot to the chest and poison."

"Hurry back," Reeve was clearly worried.

Vincent hung up and reached down for the ninja.

"You better let me do it, V," Chaos said. Transforming while holding things, particularly people, was dangerous. Chaos took over and carefully pulled Yuffie into his arms. A whimper escaped her lips as pain laced through her nerves.

"Hold on," Chaos said as he took off. Far below, he saw the WRO trucks rumble out to search for the location of the body.

Reeve had rushed and was waiting at the hospital doors with a medical staff. Gasps of horror went up as Chaos landed, but as he laid Yuffie on the gurney, they turned their attention to her wounds. They didn't even notice when Chaos reverted back to Vincent.

"Is she?" Vincent looked around, oblivious to Chaos's actions.

"They just took her, Vincent," Reeve walked into the hospital, Vincent following.

Bleach and antiseptics burned Vincent's nose and eyes as he stood in the emergency waiting room. His gaze followed Reeve, pacing, tapping, twitching. Hours went by. Reeve left to make some phone calls. Later, Tifa and Cloud showed up to join in the vigil, each one with a babe in their arms.

The red sign was like the single eye of a deadly monster. Staring. Everyone waited for it to blink, for the mouth to open and for the doctor to say the good news.

Darkness fell completely before the light turned off. There were several torturous minutes before the doctor came out. The smell of Yuffie's blood clung to him. It made Vincent feel disoriented as everyone turned to the man.

"Is anyone here Yuffie Kisaragi's next of kin?" The doctor asked.

"We're her friends," Reeve took point as Yuffie's former employer. Tifa dumped Wolfe into Cloud's arms and ran up beside Reeve to hear for herself. Vincent just perked his ears.

"The surgery was successful. The bullet nicked her right lung and there was some blood flooding it, but we've managed to clean and dry it out. The cure material she had helped out in that. The problem now lies with the poison. It'll take some time to analyze. We've given her a generic antidote and an IV to try and flush her system for now. Normally, we would filter her blood to clean her of all toxins, but she is too weak to handle it."

"She is not weak," Tifa said adamantly. Reeve placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave the doctor an apologetic look.

"I know," the doctor said, not unkindly, "she pulled through a surgery most cannot. I just meant the shock and strain of a dialysis treatment would put on her body, right now, is a potentially terminal risk."

"If," Vincent interrupted, "we got a sample of the poison, can you create an antidote?"

"It is possible to find a solution faster with the purer version of the toxin, yes."

"On it," Reeve nodded to Vincent and pulled out his phone to call his retrieval teams.

"Can we visit her?" Tifa asked the doctor.

"She's under heavy painkillers and is asleep right now. I don't think she'll even know that you're there," the doctor said. "But, fine. You're one of those panic worriers. I can tell. One person at a time and only for a minute."

Reeve returned and followed the group to the recovery wing. As Tifa hurried in first, the WRO leader to the doctor that the samples would arrive shortly. Cloud and Reeve went in to check on Yuffie. Vincent stayed for last. The others noticed and decided to leave when the gunman finally, hesitantly, opened the door.

A lamp filled the room with a dim glow, but left long shadows everywhere, including on Yuffie's face. Even with a blood transfusion, Yuffie was still pale beneath her suntanned skin. Bandages covered her cuts and salve glistened on her bruises and scrapes.

"What were you thinking?" Vincent whispered, moving a strand of hair from her cheek with his claw.

"Vi…n…" Yuffie's mouth moved only minutely as her eyes shifted beneath her lids. "Vin…nie?"

"I am here, Yuffie."

"Fitz…" she struggled, her lung clenching, making her choke.

"Shh," Vincent held her hand with his gloved one and ran his claw carefully through her hair. The movements settled her some. "Reeve has him. You do not need to worry."

"Why," Yuffie paused, then said tiredly, "are you here?"

"You are injured."

"Dr…. Crescent?"

"Do not think about it. Rest now. We will be back."

Yuffie tried to answer and valiantly failed, falling asleep in response.

0000000000000

Even though Yuffie was no longer a WRO member, news of her fight with Fitzroy and her subsequent hospitalization spread like wildfire. The perpetrator: Cait Sith.

It was even the hottest topic in the Midgar warehouse, overriding speculation on the outburst from Lucrecia the day before.

"…could have died. Bullet punctured a lung," one man commented to his lab partner.

"We know," another rolled his eyes. "Don't patronize. We're all scientists here. We know what a punctured lung means."

"What's this?" Sophia arrived and talked with different groups of people, hearing the story several times.

It was early in the morning and Lucrecia wasn't up yet. Under the guise of filling in more chart work, the only thing she seemed to ever do, Sophia snuck into the small bedroom.

"Good morning, Sophia," Lucrecia smiled as she tied up her long flowing strands of chestnut hair.

"I have some distressing news, Dr. Crescent. You might want to sit," Sophia shifted her feet with a downcast expression, very much like a child making their first confession.

"What's the matter?" Lucrecia lead the girl to sit with her on the neatly made bed.

"Mr. Valentine left yesterday to see Yuffie Kisaragi."

"Yuffie who?" Brows creased together as Lucrecia pondered on the name.

"Oh, you don't know her," Sophia realized. There was a window of opportunity. "She was the Wutaian princess. She was working undercover with Mr. Valentine in the mission to get you back. But she left the WRO when she found out that you woke up. I think it was because she knew she can't complete with you for Mr. Valentine's feelings."

Lucrecia's frown deepened as she drank in Sophia's words.

"Well, there was this man, Fitzroy, he was trying to help them get you out of the crystal. He was following Yuffie recently because she's been acting strangely. Fitzroy thought she was a threat to you," Sophia flapped a hand. "Anyway, Yuffie attacked and killed Fitzroy. Mr. Valentine saw, but was too late. Then…"

"Then, what?" Lucrecia leaned in.

"Chaos," Sophia twiddled with her fingers. "Chaos took Fitzroy's gun and shot her. And he waited before he let Mr. Valentine back. That demon wants to stain Mr. Valentine's hands. Even though Yuffie _had_ just murdered someone."

"You mean," Lucrecia stood and held a hand over her mouth, which had just gone very, very dry. "Vincent doesn't have control over Chaos anymore?"

"Seems not. And I'm also certain that Mr. Valentine will not admit it. Even to you."

"You're right," Lucrecia bit her lip and started a slow, dirge-like, pace around the room.

"You do know what this means, don't you?" Sophia looked up.

"I have to find a way to save Vincent," Lucrecia left the room, grabbing her lab coat as she went.

A slow, sly smile crossed Sophia's lips and she followed Lucrecia out.

0000000000000

Light flooded her room when Yuffie woke. Beeps and hums emanated from machines and there was a strange, peculiar rasping sound that occurred most irregularly. After a moment, when Yuffie finally gathered enough brain cells to work together, she recognized it as her own breathing. Tubes protruded from her arms, but Yuffie couldn't feel them. Couldn't feel much of anything, actually.

The beeps quickened and a nurse walked in.

"Hello, dear. Are we having a bit of a scare? You don't have to worry. Just calm down a little."

"Where?" was the only word Yuffie could manage out.

"You're in Edge, Ms Kisaragi. Mr. Tuesti called in yesterday that you were badly injured. We've patched you up, now you need to rest and get better," the nurse checked the machines and fixed the blankets around Yuffie.

"Poison?" Yuffie rasped out. She needed to know.

"We're working on it. Just be strong, we'll have you better in no time."

Yuffie fell back asleep, all of her energy spent, and the nurse left.

When Yuffie rose out of her sleep again, Vincent was leaning in a corner, watching her.

"Hiya…Vinnie," she said weakly. Not greeting him would have been rude, never mind how she felt about his infatuation with his newly revived girlfriend. She had no recollection of their brief interlude the night before. Carefully and slowly, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I am checking in on you," Vincent said patiently. "I did bring you here, after all."

"Technically, _I_ did," Chaos commented from his perch in Vincent's mind where he watched the events like a sports audience.

"How? Why?" Yuffie regretted her harshly suspicious tone as twinges of pain shocked her body. She winced and breathed through it. The pain was almost scolding for her unnecessary rudeness toward her savior.

"Chaos is the one you should thank," Vincent moved and sat in the chair by the bed, folding himself into the seat with a grace few seemed to possess in their modern and less than couth society. "He smelled your blood from over four miles away."

"He did?" Yuffie was oddly, and slightly mortifyingly, touched that Chaos would recognize her blood. Then there was the fact that they had done something about it, which would have caused her to flush, had she the extra blood to spare.

"And he insisted we go check. With that much blood loss, he was worried."

"Was he now," Yuffie thought to herself. "Nice to know _someone_ cares."

"I cannot tell from such a distance," Vincent sounded almost ashamed that his unnatural senses were limited and subpar to Chaos's. "Chaos flew. I had no way of telling how bad anything was until he landed."

"Yeah, I made a mess of old Fitz," Yuffie sighed, winced, and tried to rub her eyes. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes," Vincent replied. There was no use hiding or lying about it. "You gave me a fright, Yuffie."

"No, I didn't," Yuffie finally managed to get her left hand to her face, but the poison sapped her strength and it just lay there, forgotten, unable to move any more.

"Yes, you did," Vincent reached out and brushed her hair aside and rubbed lightly beneath her eyes. It was a simple gesture, but it showed his kindness. "Why did you leave, Yuffie?"

"I made a choice. To be true to myself. I was breaking," Yuffie struggled for breath as she spoke, more than four times slower than her normal, speed of light, pace. "I was the only one who could do anything about it."

"I, too, made a choice," Vincent said, putting both hand and claw by her lowered, tube filled hand. "To accept myself as I am and to continue to be with those who accept me too."

"Does that mean you'll stop complaining about my phone calls?"

A smile tugged at Vincent's lips and he saw Yuffie move her fingers to take up his claw in her tight, vice like grip.


	16. Chapter 16

Silencing the Chaos

Author's Notes: Just a general thanks to all my readers for sticking with my story. Even though everyone is being a bunch of stubborn thickheads. So far there are over 1.5k views, so I just want to give big thanks for your continual support! Enjoy!

Chapter 16

Vincent was confused.

He knew Lucrecia was keeping a secret from him. When WRO offered her a place to live in Edge, she glanced at him and then refused. Later, Vincent asked if she had thoughts of moving in with him. She turned him down as well. Excuses of wanting to be near the lab, in case something happened to her, spilled from her cherry lips, but he saw a flicker of obsession in her eyes that she couldn't quite hide.

Over the days, whenever he went to visit her, she would brush him aside and tell him she was in the middle of something delicate. Once, he brought a basket lunch and tried to coax her away. He waited three hours before leaving.

He went to check in with Yuffie who was having bouts of cabin fever whenever she had lucid moments free of pain and drugs. She welcomed Vincent's company and had him do all sorts of things for her, like help her wind a skein of yarn she promised to do for her roommate who left for surgery. Other things she made Vincent do included him eating her lunch vegetables, playing poker, reading classic Midgar stories and letting her braid his hair. He did whatever she asked, as none of them were completely unreasonable and it was better than her ignoring him like Lucrecia.

Yuffie didn't talk much, which was unusual and saddening, but showed her great restraint. Determined to heal as quickly as possible, Yuffie was a perfect patient, other than her vegetable skimping and restless legs.

"Vinnie, will you take me outside?" Yuffie asked one day in response to Vincent's question of what she wanted to do.

"Are you allowed outside?"

"I dunno. Ask," she smiled manipulatively and shooed him out.

The nurses checked and confirmed that Yuffie was indeed allowed out. But she would have to be in a wheelchair and kept warm against the chill of the autumn air. When Yuffie saw Vincent return, pushing a wheelchair, she clapped her hands and carefully threw the blankets aside to clamber, gingerly, into the chair.

"Hurry up," Yuffie was tapping her fingers, the limit to how she could express her impatience, as Vincent hung her IV bag to the proper hook and pulled a blanket onto her lap.

They passed several open doors and Yuffie motioned for Vincent to pause at each one so she could give the patients a smile and wave or an encouraging word.

"You are a very caring person," Vincent commented as they finally reached the empty balcony.

"Of course I am. Was there doubt?"

"When you stole all our materia."

"For the betterment of my people; and you know it to be true," Yuffie frowned. She would have to meditate later to re-file that incident as it jumped out of her mental cabinet.

"Cloud gave you the cure material when we left after Meteorfall. What did you do with it?"

"Opened the clinic again. The people were going to the medicine man for years since the clinic closed. With material, I could heal," Yuffie thought back four years. Good memories mixed with the bad and the unfortunate. "As future leader of Wutai, I had to care."

"You did have the bad habit of curing others before yourself."

"Really?" Yuffie pondered and took a carefully measured deep breath of fresh air, turning away from their conversation, just to enjoy the day.

"They are so different," Vincent thought as he watched Yuffie content to sit and soak in the fresh air and sun.

"You just noticed that now?" Chaos chuckled. "The differences are so obvious. I thought your vision was enhanced, V. Maybe not."

"Personality wise," Vincent mentally glared at his counterpart.

"Clearly," Chaos ignored the annoyance and used his own sarcasm in response.

A vibration at Vincent's hip caught his attention.

"Vincent? It's Lucrecia. Can you come to the lab? I want to see you."

"Immediately?"

"As soon as possible? I miss you," Lucrecia didn't even seem to realize she had brushed his companionship aside only an hour before.

Eyes shifted to Yuffie.

"I will head over," Vincent heard the line die without a farewell. Pocketing his phone, he spoke, "Yuffie?"

"I've got my fill of outside, Vinnie. The cold air kind of hurts now. Can you help me back?" Yuffie smiled and started turning her chair around. He strode over and took control of the contraption. "I'm tired all of a sudden."

"Rest," Vincent ordered as he navigated through the halls again. "You got rid of the poison just yesterday, after all."

"Vinnie?"

"Yes?"

"Will you get my shuriken from the WRO office?" Her weapon was still in evidence as they worked on closing the case on Fitzroy.

"You cannot have it in the hospital."

"Duh, I know that. Keep it safe for me? Clean it before it rusts beyond the point of salvageability?"

"I will try."

"Thanks," Yuffie climbed into her bed as they arrived at her room. As Vincent straightened up around her, Yuffie inquired in a small, timid voice, "Does she know?"

"Does who know what?" Cautiously, Vincent pulled away from where he was fixing her blankets.

"Dr. Crescent. Does she know you come to see me in the hospital?"

"I did not tell her."

"So she is alive," Yuffie resettled in her bed. She had no confirmation that Lucrecia was fully functioning, but she knew. Somehow her intuition told her.

"Yuffie," Vincent started, but stopped at a firm shake of her head. Never before had she stopped him from talking; she was always trying to get him to speak.

"I don't care about that. But you need to tell her. It's like you're sneaking behind her back. It makes this- our time, our friendship- shameful. So," a breath created a pause as Yuffie rode a bump of pain, "either tell her or don't come back."

"You are not a shame. Do not think it," ordered Vincent.

Shrugging, Yuffie refused to argue or respond at all. She had said her piece and was leaving it up to him to decide what to tell her. When she decided to speak, it wasn't what he expected.

"You're keeping her waiting."

Then, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

00000000000

When Vincent arrived in Midgar, Lucrecia was waiting for him outside. Her usual lab coat was replaced with an ill fitting overcoat to fight off the cooling evening air.

"Vincent!" With a smile, Lucrecia attached herself to his right side, tucking herself under his arm. "I'm tired of being here. Will you show me Edge?"

Silently, Vincent agreed, leading her out towards the living city. They took the easiest path, winding along the slopes of what once was the largest city of the world. They rested before entering Edge. Strength Lucrecia had saved up over the weeks in the lab was depleted after the walk through the rubble.

"I heard Meteor caused Midgar's destruction?" Lucrecia was perched on a fallen column as she looked between the two cities.

"Among a long list of catalysts, yes."

They meandered through the early evening crowds. Lucrecia wrapped her arm through Vincent's so he could lead as she stared at the sights around her. She had been in Nibelheim before leaving for the cave and had not been in a city with a population larger than one hundred for nearly a year before that. Seeing the life around her was a marvel.

"They are all in danger," Sophia's words echoed in Lucrecia's mind, "as long as Chaos is out of control."

"Is something wrong, Lucrecia?"

Lost in thought, Lucrecia had stopped walking and tugged on Vincent's arm.

"No, just thinking," Lucrecia hopped to be beside him again. "What were you doing earlier? You know, when I called?"

"Visiting a friend."

"Oh, I didn't mean to pull you away."

"It is fine," they arrived at Vincent's neighborhood. "I live in this area, would you like to go up?"

She nodded. They walked for a few more minutes before getting to his door where the smell of gunpowder and something spicy filled Lucrecia's senses when it opened. It was the first time she had been in Vincent's personal space.

Everything was neat and orderly in the small space. Books lined one wall, guns on another. The kitchen was neatly organized, helped by the lack of items. Blankets fell perfectly, without a wrinkle, on the bed and chairs sat, perfectly square to the table.

"Actually, Lucrecia," Vincent poured her a glass of water, "I was visiting Yuffie in the hospital."

"Yuffie who?" Lucrecia pretended she never heard of the ninja. Selfishly, she wanted to know what Vincent would say.

"Yuffie Kisaragi, a friend from before Meteorfall. She was a member of WRO. She quit recently to get some affairs straightened out," Vincent frowned a little. That information wouldn't help Lucrecia understand. "She is the daughter of Godo from Wutai."

"She's the princess?" Lucrecia was shocked.

"She gave up her right to the throne," Vincent explained. "WRO work was more important."

"And she was injured?" Lucrecia put a worried expression on.

"Fitzroy, a man upset over Alexander Green's arrest, shot and poisoned her as she was coming back to town."

"It's a good thing she got to the hospital. How was she found? Someone saw?" Lucrecia lifted the cup to her lips and scrutinized Vincent's reaction.

"No. Chaos, he," Vincent stopped and looked at Lucrecia. One beat, two beats of silence. "He saved Yuffie. I owe him thinks for saving a companion."

"He is just a monster!" Lucrecia became furious, slamming a hand on the table.

"Without him, Yuffie would be dead and lost to us. She was three miles from Edge and nowhere near a road."

"One act of good does nothing for what his existence has done to your mind in the past thirty-five years, Vincent," Lucrecia was truly upset. He had lied to her, saying Chaos helped the girl when he had really been the one to shoot the blood thirsty child.

"Lucrecia, why are you getting worked up about this?" Vincent pulled out a chair and pushed her lightly to sit.

"Maybe I don't like the idea that you're spending time with another woman. Ever thought about that?"

"That's rich, coming from the woman who ignores _you_ for work," Chaos scoffed in Vincent's mind. "Not to mention, she left you for Hojo because she felt guilty about your father. You, on the other hand, are just worried about Yuffie's health. Do _not_ feel guilty about it."

"I do not," Vincent reassured Chaos silently before responding to Lucrecia, "Is my love for you so weak that you feel insecure?"

She stared up, brown eyes, flat and devoid of joy and emotion, locked with his.

"I have loved you continuously, faithfully, all these years and you question it."

"No," Lucrecia took his hand, reaching far for it, "I am just and average woman when it comes to matters of the heart. It's irrational, you know that."

"Her obsession with science has overcome her love for you before, V," Chaos said. "Be careful. Something isn't ri-"

The needle pressed into his skin before he realized it. Vincent pulled back, but the drug was working fast. Stumbling, Vincent grabbed for things, he didn't know what.

"Chaos, help," Vincent's mind scrambled, but there was nothing.

Then everything went black.

00000000000

Gray eyes counted holes in the ceiling tiles. It had been two days since Vincent visited. Worrying meant nothing. Vincent made his choice.

"Tifa," Yuffie greeted the bartender as she came in with her children. "You came."

"You seemed lonely on the phone," Tifa smiled as she placed a child in Yuffie's outstretched arms. "Has Vincent been here? Cloud said Reeve is trying to find him and can't."

"Vinnie? I haven't seen him in two days," Yuufie played with Wolfe, making peek-a-boo faces.

"I don't like it," Tifa said as she let Rosa climb around on the foot of the bed.

"He's probably with Lucrecia. Don't worry about him. He can take care of himself."

"I'm not so sure of that, lassie," Cait said as he swaggered into the room.

"Cait," Tifa's surprise was drowned out by Rosa's gurgling glee at the soft robot. "What are you doing here?"

"Shush, little lassie," Cait chided Rosa lightly, "Reeve was worried. Vincent hasn't been seen anywhere for two days. Not at the warehouse, nor here."

"So, why are you _here_, Cait?" Yuffie asked as she smoothed a hand through Wolfe's brown spikes.

"Ta get your help," Cait said matter-of-factually.

"I don't think Reeve told you to break me out of the hospital early."

"Cait, are you acting against orders?" Tifa inquired.

"Strictly speaking? Yes."

"Alright, get me out, robo," Yuffie handed Wolfe to his mother and pulled out her IV.

"Get changed, the nurses are filing your release forms."

"I won't ask," Yuffie said and carefully pulled her shirt on, avoiding adding more damage to her injury.

"Cait, I don't think this is a good idea. How is Yuffie supposed to find Vincent?"

"She's the only one who knows where Vincent lives."


	17. Chapter 17

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 17

Yuffie walked along the streets, stopping every several blocks to rest, even if she tried to convince herself she didn't need it. Cait followed along as per Tifa's orders to keep Yuffie safe.

Though Tifa asked why Yuffie couldn't just give Vincent's address, the ninja smiled and responded with, "That would be a betrayal."

The nuances in a thief's life could not be deciphered so easily by an outsider and Tifa didn't try. When she left she gave strict directions for them to call her with an update of Yuffie's health.

"Alright, I go alone from this point, Cait," Yuffie looked up at a building. "Go back to Reeve. Tell him that I'll call when I find something out."

"But, lassie," Cait started.

"I'll turn you off."

Cait turned and ran off for the office at the threat. With a glance at the building, she cocked an eyebrow and kept walking. Two blocks over, she climbed a set of stairs carefully and paused at the top, catching her breath.

She knocked on the door. No response. Thinking that Vincent might have moved since she last tailed him home, she pressed her nose to the seam between the door and frame and inhaled. Gunpowder and the spicy soap he used to clean his table after cleaning his weapons wafted through. He still lived there.

The lock pick sewn into her shorts were not as good as her set, but it worked well enough. A quiet, well oiled click indicated when the handle unlocked. Resistance stopped her actions. The chain, above Yuffie's eye level kept her out. Closing the door slightly, she maneuvered her pick to free the chain. Someone was home.

"Vincent?" There weren't many places Vincent could hide in a one room unit. A folding screen blocked off half the room and there was a faint beeping. One that had been driving Yuffie insane for the past week. It was a heart monitor.

There was a rustle and a figure appeared.

Lucrecia was a terrible beauty to see walking toward Yuffie. The angelic features of her face and her elegant grace were malicious and dark.

"You must be Yuffie Kisaragi, the little murderer," Lucrecia's voice was nothing like she ever imagined. All the times Vincent mentioned Lucrecia, he spoke of her soft radiance, her kind eyes and melodious voice. He never said that the quality of Sephiroth's terrifying timbre was a genetic gift from his biological mother.

"Dr. Crescent, I'm glad to see you're doing well," Yuffie decided proper greetings were more important than correcting the doctor's wrong interpretation of events.

"Yes, and you! Look at you. I can see why Vincent never described your physical features. There really isn't a comparison to mine," Lucrecia offered Yuffie a seat and sat herself in the other chair. "I really had no grounds to be jealous."

"You, jealous of me?" Yuffie scoffed and blinked to cover up the stab of pain. "Clearly, you don't know a thing about me or my friendship with Vincent."

"I know you're infatuated with him. No woman isn't. Tall, dark, handsome; you think you can be the light to his darkness," Lucrecia smiled. It almost could be friendly, if her eyes hadn't betrayed it.

"Reeve would like him to check in," Yuffie said and stood. "I'm just going to tell him, is he back here?"

She started for the screen, but Lucrecia stood to block her path.

"I'll tell him."

"Jealously and clinginess are sure signs of your insecurities in Vincent. Does he know this?" Yuffie walked around the scientist as she stood in shock "Vinnie, you here?"

Lying on the bed, eyes open, but unmoving, was Vincent.

"Vinnie?" Yuffie reached out to feel his skin. He was colder than usual, though his pulse was strong. His cape was removed, as was, Yuffie noticed, his claw and glove. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing, yet," Lucrecia felt fury welling up in her. This Yuffie girl was interrupting her experiment. She wouldn't allow anyone to stop her from freeing Vincent and redeeming her sins.

Yuffie whirled around as she felt Lucrecia step closer. There were no qualms in Yuffie's mind about attacking the doctor, unlike Vincent. The needle grazed her arm and the drug squirted out to splatter on the nightstand and wall.

Yuffie grappled as best she could, but her wound slowed her down until Lucrecia successfully landed a hit on Yuffie's bandaged ribcage.

A cry of pain rang out and Yuffie started to fall to her knees. Golden life sprang into Vincent's eyes and suddenly Chaos was there, hurtling Lucrecia aside and grabbing Yuffie before running for the door. Scrambling and pulling out her gun, Lucrecia raced to follow, but Chaos had already jumped off the landing and was flying for the hospital.

00000000

Reeve was enraged when he got the call from the hospital. Yuffie and Vincent, unconscious. Blood had started to fill Yuffie's lung again and no one knew what happened to Vincent. Reports said that Chaos flew into the hospital, transformed into Vincent and collapsed, both patients unconscious and completely unresponsive.

Once again the hospital waiting room was filled with a pacing Reeve and the entire Strife household, Marlene and Denzel included. Tifa left the twins in her husband's care as she followed Reeve in his pacing to scold him about letting Cait get away from his control.

"I know, Tifa, I'm sorry. Why didn't you do anything?"

Tifa stopped and gave him a look that said, "Look around, Reeve, I've got a family to worry about as well."

"You're right, sorry. I should never have even said anything about Vincent. He disappears all the time."

"Yes, but clearly something happened or else Yuffie wouldn't be drowning in her own blood," Tifa hissed.

"Tifa, calm down, you're scaring the children," Cloud told her, giving a significant look to where Marlene and Denzel held the twins, all of them with the same apprehensive, "Mom's yelling" face.

"Cloud, there's no reason. Yuffie pushing herself? Yes, but what about Vincent? There was no way Yuffie had anything to do with it," Tifa whirled and grabbed Reeve in her iron fists. "What of his apartment? What have you found?"

"Actually, Yuffie tricked Cait. Vincent didn't live in the building Cait left her at. They're searching the area."

"There's something missing from this equation," Cloud said as if he were a bloodhound that just caught a scent. "What are you keeping from us?"

Reeve swallowed stiffly, looking around before drawing them closer.

"Vincent told me Lucrecia wanted to take Chaos and the others out."

"Why?" Tifa released Cloud and turned to face Reeve again. "Why change him again? Chaos saved Yuffie. Without him, Yuffie would be—"

"I know. But you need to see it from Lucrecia's perspective. She blames everything on herself. Vincent dying, Hojo's experiments, her choice to put Chaos in? It all stems from Vincent's relation to her."

"Did Vincent want this?" Cloud asked, "Did he want them extracted?"

"I don't know. He seemed reluctant, but what do I know?" Reeve shrugged sadly. "At any rate, I think he is grateful that Chaos saved Yuffie. And if he wanted it, they would have been in the lab."

"Or told you," Tifa tapped her foot in annoyance. "Well, Cait wanted Yuffie to check Vincent's apartment. That means that he was not willingly submitting to this experiment. She did something to him, Reeve."

Doors slid open and a doctor came out. They stopped talking and turned.

"Mr. Tuesti," the doctor called for Reeve, "Ms Kisaragi is stabilized and we've moved her to her room."

"Thank you, doctor."

"Can we," Tifa started to ask, but was cut off.

"No visitors today."

Tifa deflated.

Another doctor appeared.

"Mr. Tuesti, we've moved Mr. Valentine. There's not much we can do to help him. We're flushing his system to try and get the drug out of his system."

"Do you have an estimation of when he'll wake?"

"No, sorry."

"I understand."

With nothing left to do in the hospital, they all left to worry at home.

000000000

"They got away?" Sophia asked as Lucrecia paced, bottom lip firmly between her teeth.

"I'm going to the hospital tomorrow to see him. I can salvage this," Lucrecia told herself and wandered off, leaving Sophia alone with a wicked expression on her face.

0000000000

"Good afternoon, Vincent," Lucrecia crooned as she stroked Vincent's hair.

"Lucrecia? What are you—" Vincent's mind was suddenly awake. "You drugged me."

"No, sweetie, I had to protect myself from Chaos. He was trying to attack me."

Vincent was shaking his head; that wasn't how it went. Drugged, he had been drugged; and there was nothing he could do to wake up. He could see, but not hear, taste, touch. He could smell. He smelled Yuffie when she came in. Saw her worried, confused face. Saw Lucrecia try to attack Yuffie with a drug. He could smell it, the same drug as what he smelled in his skin.

"Leave me, Lucrecia. I want to be alone," he told her. Pain, shock and bewilderment fought into her eyes, but in the end, despair won out.

"I don't want to leave you. I want to be with you."

"Leave," he ordered. He couldn't even look at her.

She ran, sobbing from the room.

"What are you going to do, V?" Chaos sounded tired. "She poisoned you with a drug built specifically for you."

"I do not know. More importantly, how did we get here?"

"Ninja girl was about to keel."

"Have you been listening to her talking too much? You are starting to speak like Yuffie."

"Nuthin' wrong with that."

"You like Yuffie," Vincent realized, shocked.

"Yes, in a completely 'she makes your life entertaining for me to experience' sort of way, which in turn, gives _me_ immense pleasure," Chaos was unabashed at his declaration. "Now, if you can walk, I suggest you find her and ask her why she nearly got herself killed. Again."

With a sigh, Vincent sat up and found himself in blue and white striped pajamas.

"Lookin' good, V," Chaos encouraged his host as Vincent slid his bare feet into his slippers and pushed his IV cart with him.

"It's here, somewhere," Tifa murmured to herself and Vincent turned as he left his room.

"Tifa."

"Oh, Vincent!" Tifa jogged up and gave him a motherly frown. "I'm glad you're awake, but are you sure you should be walking around?"

"I was going to find Yuffie."

"Oh, she's in room 408, this way," Tifa had no problem with Vincent out of bed if he was trying to find their ninja companion. "Vincent, are you feeling okay? No weird side affects?"

"I am fine, Tifa. Thank you for your concern."

"Tifa? You just left," Yuffie's voice was weak as Tifa walked behind a curtain.

"I'm just bringing you a present," Tifa pulled the fabric more and pulled a chair over for Vincent. "I'll see you two later."

They watched as Tifa pulled the curtain closed and leave the room.

"How ya doin', Vinnie?" Yuffie asked slowly.

"Better than you, it seems," Vincent listened to her breathing and heard the faint gasping as each breath stretched her wound. "Are you feeling alright?"

A smile crossed her face, small and fleeting as she nodded.

"Why were you at my home? You should not have left the hospital."

She gave him an apologetic look and said only one word, "Worried."

Vincent sighed and ran his left hand through his hair. The flesh was horridly scarred from Hojo's mutilations and Vincent lowered it and hid it beneath his normal looking right hand. Gray eyes followed his actions and she reached out to hold his clasped hands.

"I like both, equally," she said and winced as the combination of outstretched arm and talking strained her new healings. After moving her hand back into a more comfortable position, he placed both his hands over her injured ribcage, letting his warmth seep through her bandage and into her flesh to sooth the pain. Yuffie grinned, "My mother used to take the pain away too. We called it 'magic hands.' I guess you have them too."

Silence washed over them and they spent several minutes not really looking at each other. Finally, Yuffie plucked up her courage.

"Was Dr. Crescent going to do something to you?"


	18. Chapter 18

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 18

Lucrecia was pacing in her room. Bolted from the inside, there was no way for anyone to come into her room as she thought. Tears were dry on her cheeks and she had none left the shed.

Vincent didn't trust her. She had lied and he caught her and now he didn't trust her. Playing innocent to his version of the story was one thing, but lying to him about drugging him was a completely other matter.

Even worse was what she planned on doing to him. She deliberately went against his expressed wishes to keep the demons. To forcibly take them out was just as bad as putting them in. A selfish decision by an overly enthusiastic scientist.

"No better than Hojo," Lucrecia murmured repeatedly to herself.

Going through with the extraction would be her worst sin of them of all. Defying Vincent's wish to be loved the way he was now was her burden. She couldn't love him.

She couldn't love a monster.

As much as she wanted to love him, the man she loved died thirty-five years previously. Vincent Valentine, the young, strong, handsome Turk who made her heart skip.

The Vincent she saw now, with his long hair, black clothes, golden claw and blood red cape was a reminder that she got him killed because she felt too guilty to give him the love he deserved. A living reminder of all her sins and crimes against the Planet.

Weak. She was weak.

Obsessions came easily to her. Succumbing to one single goal was easy for her weak mind. If done right, she was easily manipulated as well.

Hard decisions were something she seldom made. But she made one then. To end it. But not the cowardly way. Not again. This time, she would do it right.

She couldn't love Vincent the way he was; the least she could do was ensure that he, finally, could move on to be with the ones who could.

"Commissioner Reeve," she spoke into her phone. "I would like to confess to the crime of assaulting Vincent Valentine with intent to forcibly experiment on him."

000000000

At the hospital, Yuffie picked at a stray thread on her blanket. The moon was slanting through the closed blinds and made the room glow a pale blue. Heart monitors beeped around her from her roommates and it almost sounded like digital rain.

Her conversation with Vincent that afternoon had been one-sided. And for the first and, highly likely, last time, it was Vincent doing the talking. Worries of Lucrecia hiding and lying about things were mentioned. As was her fibs about not knowing Yuffie's name and a myriad of odd behavior points.

Vincent mentioned about her outburst about monsters and drugging him. Speculations about where it was stemming from were listed out: guilt, disgust, mako poisoning, mental imbalance.

"Someone could have convinced her to believe something other than the truth," Yuffie had offered. "It might have fueled her original need to take them out."

He even shared the tidbit of Lucrecia's jealousy. To which, Yuffie's reaction of, "Oh, that's why she was prickly," made Vincent raise an eyebrow. Yuffie waved it off and continued to listen to Vincent speak.

They sat together, in silence, until a nurse came in looking for Vincent. Carted off to his own room, Vincent fell into a half state of consciousness as he and Chaos discussed what was happening and what they would do.

Where Vincent had Chaos to talk to, Yuffie had nothing, so she continued to pluck at her blanket all through the afternoon and well into the night alone.

00000000

"Where are you talking her?" Sophia struggled in the grasp of two WRO agents as she watched Lucrecia Crescent being escorted into a van in shackles. "You can't take her!"

"Miss Sophia Woods, refrain yourself or you, too, will be arrested," Reeve had no room for kindness. Hell was about to rain down on him seven ways to Sunday, but there wasn't a thing he could do to stop it. But, by Gaia, he wasn't going to let anything else out of his control. Turning to his heavily armed sea of troops, the head of the WRO issued an order, "Alpha team, search the place; document and photograph everything. I want copies. Beta, quarantine and question, you know what I want. Gamma, you have the perimeter. My team, fall in."

Groups broke off. Scientists were rounded up into other vehicles for the trip back to the office. They would be giving statements on all their activities. Work, gossip, even conversations they overheard or unusual or, even, usual occurrences would all be recorded for the final report. With the scientists gone, team alpha would sweep for data, reports, anything to indicate who and what was involved with Lucrecia's confession.

A maelstrom of emotions had Reeve battling for whatever patience and control he still possessed. Gods and Summon almighties alike were probably all casting their dice of misfortune upon his lots that week. First, Yuffie's near mortal injury. Second, losing Vincent. Then there was Cait's betrayal and subsequent events landing both his best and favorite agents in the hospital. But, no, it didn't stop there. No, no, that would have been kind. Instead, they said Vincent had absolutely no medical ailment to keep him in the hospital, so they were releasing him from their jurisdiction. Not ten minutes later, he gets _that_ phone call and Reeve knows that the dice had just opened up to another dimension of hell.

There was no way Reeve could question Lucrecia immediately. Mentally, he wasn't prepared. He wasn't sure he would ever be prepared. How does one prepare to interrogate, or even just to listen to, a confession a woman gives who has clearly been the love interest to a dear companion, who is both a direly needed asset to his organization and completely deadly with his bare hands? You don't. That's how.

Choices. That was what life really was. Just a path with choices. Some come easily and you are happy to choose it. Others, you wish never came at all.

The truck rumbled into the back loading deck of the WRO headquarters where no one could see what was being unloaded. Namely, one Lucrecia Crescent. Reeve had his men put her in a holding room where she would wait until Reeve placed all of his strategic pieces on the board so that, when the explosion happened and the pieces fell, they wouldn't collide.

"Vincent?" Reeve's hands shook as he spoke into his mobile. The quaver was entering his voice. He coughed delicately to clear it.

"Reeve?"

"I heard you were released from the hospital. How are you feeling?" Reeve felt like the scum of that washed upon Junon's polluted shores after a tanker spill. Black, slick, slimy and completely foul.

"Normal," Vincent sounded as he always did, a little bored with conversation.

"If you feel up to it, can you come to the office?" Reeve licked his lips. "There's something you need to see."

"I will be there shortly," Vincent said crisply and hung up.

The snap of his phone was like the sound of a grenade with the pin pulling out. What was done, was done. Now they waited for the explosion and for the pieces to fall.

00000000

Visiting hours were over, so Vincent couldn't check on Yuffie's condition. It wasn't her injury that drove his curiosity; it was her sanity. That wasn't all of it; both he and Chaos knew it. The winged devil, who was grinning wider than a Magic Pot with an Elixir, was wise enough not to voice that the other niggling feeling was, in fact, worry.

After seeing that his apartment crawling with WRO agents and getting his cape, claw, shoes and Cerberus, Vincent was walking toward the Seventh Heaven to spend part of his evening with familiar faces. With people who didn't mind his appearance. Even Denzel, who was frightened the first time Vincent appeared at the bar, warmed up after Marlene commented that Vincent's gauntlet was like a gold, pointy version of her dad's hand. It was nice, though Vincent would never admit it aloud, to have children who didn't cower away at the metallic appendage. Or his whole appearance for that matter.

Only partway from his abode, his phone rang. Reeve's tone was far from reassuring. The office was near and Vincent only made a minor course change to appear at the main doors.

The lobby was empty of visitors, as the office hours had officially changed to the night shift and all non-employees had better places to be. Soft, leather footsteps scuffed and the sound ricocheted off the high ceiling and columns, making the illusion that there were many people, when there was only one pacing.

"Reeve," Vincent's plated shoes made barely a ghost of a sound as he walked along the tiled floor to the commissioner. "You wanted to see me?"

The man jumped, having not heard the arrival of the cause for his pacing. With elevated heart rate and an anxious smile, Reeve turned around.

"Vincent, how are you feeling?"

"You have already asked me that question. My answer has not changed in the last ten minutes."

"Good, good. Glad to hear it," Reeve wrung his hands together and could only briefly flick his eyes up to the other man. "Um, how about we talk in another room, shall we?"

Reeve led the way to an elevator. Not the usual one to take them to the executive officers, but the one for the security wing. They walked in silence down dimly lit halls, the only sounds being Reeve's shoes and breathing. Vincent was completely silent, even his cloak.

They passed a side corridor that housed the elevator for the prison hold and there was a faint impression of a scent. But when Vincent tried to hone in on it, the smell disappeared and, like sand, the harder Vincent concentrated, the faster it slipped away. His attention was brought back as Reeve opened a thick door.

Sound proof for the average human ear, Vincent would still hear anything in the corridor. If there was anything there to hear. It also meant the walls were strong. Not easily damaged.

Lights flickered on and Vincent looked at the other attributes of the room. It was small, to account for the extra thick walls, but there were several chairs lined up in neat rows, facing a sheet of glass. Walking up to the window, he could see a room below.

"An observation room is an interesting choice for a conversation, Reeve," Vincent commented blandly.

"I want you to know, Vincent, that I am trying to do what is right," Reeve rubbed a hand over his mouth and beard. "That does not mean that it makes this easy on anyone."

"I appreciate your effort, Reeve. You are clearly having a hard time with it," Vincent said calmly.

"I'm not sure you'll have the same feeling after this," Reeve replied. "Wait here."

Reeve left and his squeaking leather shoes faded down the hall the way they came. In his moments alone, Vincent found his perch to lean against the window to stare down at the table and empty chairs. Suspicion born from Reeve's words grew in Vincent's mind and Chaos had his own skepticism to add.

Several minutes passed peacefully. The last semblance of peace Vincent would know for a while. When the door opened in the room below, he saw Reeve emerge to take one of the chairs. Following the commissioner came two guards and the woman who always stole his breath away.

She stole it away for a different reason. The shackles glinted and clanked as she sat, her face clear and unobstructed from his high angle. Slouched in the chair, Lucrecia looked very little like her confident self.

She looked guilty.

Not once did her eyes look up, so Vincent surmised that what was a window for him was a mirror barrier to her.

"November 17, 2012. Commissioner Reeve Tuesti taking the voluntary confession of Doctor Lucrecia Crescent on the drugging of Vincent Valentine," Reeve's voice echoed dully in Vincent's ears as the interview started.

The soft voice of Lucrecia speaking was like drawing a dull butter knife across his arm. It didn't hurt at the beginning, but as her words continued to beat against his ears, he slowly started to succumb to the pain. With each wave, the undercurrent started to increase and soon, it felt like Vincent had swept far into the ocean and all that was left was for him to sink into the dark, crushing depths.

For as much as Vincent rationally thought that he should be sad about Lucrecia's confession of her intent to do him harm, he couldn't summon the emotion. He had known from the first day they were together again that so much had changed, but, at the same time, nothing was different. He loved her and she felt guilty about it. The dance their feet made, the complex footwork only they managed to do, was the same. Only the song had changed.

Vincent nearly laughed at himself. For a fleeting moment before Lucrecia had woken, Vincent believed that they were timeless lovers, stepping in and out of the flow of time, but they would always have each other. There could be books, plays or musicals made from their life story. But now, Vincent knew. It wasn't a romance. It could even be a drama.

No, there was only one thing a story of Vincent Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent could be: a tragedy.


	19. Chapter 19

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 19

Vincent's body was stiff from his lack of movement. Over two hours passed since Lucrecia started her confession. There had been long pauses of silence and just as many pauses where her tears choked her words. When she did speak, she did so, slowly, in order to ensure clear recordings of all her wrong doings.

Once, Reeve spoke during a pause of silence. He asked her, "Why are you mentioning all of these events? You are only confessing to one thing."

Lucrecia gave Reeve a smile. Sad, knowing. The look a mother gives her soldier son as he goes off to war; a smile when that young boy says he's going to come back a hero. It was a smile of grim acknowledgement of an even more bleak truth. Her response was simple before she continued with her story, "I'll tell you why at the end."

Research with Grimoire Valentine, the accident and his death. Working with Hojo in Shin-Ra headquarters and moving to Nibelheim. These were all expressed in her carefully measured tone. Her first meeting with Vincent, she spoke about how she found him attractive. As a young, eager to please Turk on his first solo mission, Lucrecia found him to be a breath of something new in the stale air of the Manor. Flattered by his growing attention beyond the call of duty, Lucrecia had started giving him the attention he was hoping for and she thought that maybe, just maybe, she could hide her guilt forever. Kill the father and love the son. Her conflict externalized when Vincent inadvertently saw an open file on her computer. Her guilt swept her away and into Hojo's arms. Her complacency to Hojo's demands were fueled by her obsession with work to lock out her guilt. She took something within herself and Vincent was still only looking out for her well being.

And he died for it.

Her baby was snatched away before she could hold him. Vincent was the only project to occupy her mind from her grief. She thought that if she could give Vincent life again, then she could undo the death she caused. Backfired. She fled. Encasing her body to never let the Jenova cells ever the Lifestream was the only good she could do.

Then it all came undone with the Revival Project. She came back and with life came all her guilt. All she wanted was to make it better. To clear her conscience. And she thought she knew how.

But Vincent didn't want it. Didn't want to be experimented on again; wanted to be accepted by her the way he was. She wanted to, desperately. But her own grief was more important than Vincent's love. His love had never been enough. The words of a strange, young, ambitious scientist swayed her easily. And she would sin against the man who loved her unconditionally just to tip the scales again.

Silence. Lights buzzed and Reeve cleared his throat.

"Dr. Crescent, the charges you are confessing toward are for the attack and intent to experiment on Vincent Valentine. Is this true?"

"Yes. I attacked Vincent using a drug I formulated specifically for him. I also attempted to attack Yuffie Kisaragi with the same drug," Lucrecia said. "But the real confession is this: I never loved Vincent Valentine for the man he was. I will never love the man he is. I wish I could, but I cannot. It is another guilt I carry."

And that was it.

Reeve stood and went to the door. Guards entered to escort Lucrecia back to a holding room. Vincent saw as Reeve looked to the window, panning across the entire frame, unable to see Vincent behind the one-way glass. It didn't matter because Vincent was gone before Reeve finished his scan.

The elevator rattled as Vincent rode it down. His mind was blank and he was processing his actions only as he saw them happen.

He stopped behind the guards.

"Wait," his voice was far away in his ears, like cotton was stuffed inside.

The guards turned warily. Lucrecia did not move at all. Her back was rigid and she was shaking.

"I never blamed you for anything. I only ever wanted you to be happy," Vincent told her ignoring their audience and Reeve behind him. Lucrecia did not say anything. The salt of her tears was strong in the stagnant air of the hall. "Are you happy, now?"

"I am," she whispered, voice cracking.

"Why."

"I have confessed my sins and can no longer commit any more," she sniffled and took a breath. "And I can finally give you something you want."

"What is that, exactly?" Vincent's question was barely audible and when she didn't respond, he nearly had to ask it again. But she heard and responded.

"Letting you be with the ones who accept _you_," then she started to walk away, the guards followed.

"Good-bye, Lucrecia."

With a sharp twist, Vincent strode in the opposite direction of Lucrecia, not listening for her final sobs as she collapsed to the ground.

"Vincent," Reeve ran to catch up. "Where are you going?"

"The evidence garage," the words slipped out before he knew he was talking.

"Vincent," Reeve drew the name out in a soft warning.

"Yuffie asked me to retrieve her weapon for cleaning before it rusts. Are your agents out of my home?" Vincent wanted to get away.

"Not yet," Reeve said cautiously as Vincent's eyes darkened in annoyance. "I can set up a place for you to stay."

"That will not be necessary. I will go to Cloud's home for tonight."

With a note of finality, Vincent left Reeve alone in a hall to worry. Retrieving the shuriken from the agents was not a problem; there must have been something in his expression.

He held the weapon in his claw and pulled out his phone. It would only be polite to call Cloud before descending upon his home.

The words 'one new message' lit his screen as he opened it. With no reception in the basement, his phone call went straight to his voice mail.

"Hiya, Vinnie. I dunno if your home is still ransacked by the WRO team. They can be slow sometimes with things like this. But if they are, feel free to crash at my place. I'm not using it right now and you'd rather camp outside than make Reeve pay for a hotel," she chuckled then hissed in pain. "It's on the alley side of Moonstone Road. Go through my bedroom window, third from the southern corner."

Wheezing started and the message ended. There was no need to bother the Strife family when solitude was available. It was as if Yuffie knew him inside and out.

000000000

Yuffie had failed to mention her booby trap. Sharp darts flew out of the window when he cracked it open, but his instincts lifted her weapon to deflect her anti-home invasion device. There were several pinging sounds as the darts hit the metal of his claw and the blade in his hand.

She might not always lock her window, but it was good to know that her house could defend itself if necessary. There was only the one booby trap in the window. Vincent suspected that the other contraptions were the strategically placed items on the shelf just below the window. Anyone else would have tipped the precariously perched porcelain cats onto the wooden floor. Not a single one quivered from their seat as Vincent slid into the room and flipped his cape inside.

Darkness enveloped Vincent and he welcomed it. Shuttering himself inside, he did not bother to turn on any lights, choosing instead to move further in, going to the living room and collapsing on the couch. He had no recollection of sleep or thought, but time must have passed in some form or other, for soon light filtered through the glass and Vincent lazily watched the swirling dust dance in the air.

His gaze followed a single speck as it made the lonely path between other specks, never touching any other, before ultimately stopping at the bottom of its journey. Vincent swept it from his knee and condemned it to journey again, just as lonely as the first time, but this time to land fatefully on the ground. Never to travel again.

When his mind woke and he started to replay Lucrecia's confession, Vincent looked at the four-pointed bladed weapon he still held, clutched in his claw. Cleaning cloths and oils were in a cabinet below her wall of weaponry. Her room was much like his own, so it was no surprise that he felt comfortable.

Sitting on the couch after retrieving the cleaning supplies, Vincent set upon a task he had witnessed many a rainy day in Yuffie's presence. The deft fingers and fierce concentration Yuffie always portrayed had always mesmerized him, though he never let her notice. Unlike Yuffie who would openly watch Vincent clean his weapon like a spectator sport. Focusing on cleaning every square centimeter of the weapon gave no room for his thoughts. He silently thanked Yuffie for the task, as it also served as a way to keep Chaos from vocalizing his opinions.

He dismantled the grip and found dried blood crusting in the crevices. Luckily, Yuffie would never know that her precious shuriken fell into a sad state of existence. The blades dried fully before Vincent reattached them. The leather grip had spots of blood that slowly destroyed the quality of material. She would have to buy a new strip of leather. Vincent had half a mind to just go out into the field and slaughter something to get a fresh source of the material. The bigger, the better.

Before he could head out to wrangle with a dragon or some such monster with his bare hands, Vincent's phone rang. The name lit up the screen and he answered it.

"Hiya, Vince," Yuffie was sounding better. "Can you do me a huge, gigantic, monumental favor?"

"What would this favor entail?"

"Busting me out of here?"

"You are not allowed to have your phone in your room," Vincent frowned.

"I'm… not in my room?" Yuffie admitted sheepishly.

"Yuffie, you just had surgery to drain your lung for a second time. You need to rest," Vincent scolded her.

"But I'm bored!" She whined pathetically. "You can get me out, just tell the doctors that you'll make sure I don't do anything for a month."

Vincent stayed silent. He didn't think he could deal with a restless Yuffie and the betrayal of Lucrecia at the same time. But listening to Yuffie's shuffling feet as she tried valiantly to not harass him into rushing an answer, that gave Chaos the opportunity he needed.

"She'll keep you occupied, V," Chaos told him. "And you'll have the time you need to be sulky. You might even be able to order her around without retribution."

There was no counter argument, even though Vincent had a few mental false starts.

"Just get her out of the hospital. Put her on Strife baby duty afterwards or something," Chaos told Vincent, the symbolic shove off the proverbial fence.

"Yuffie, you better be in your room and on your best behavior when I get there," Vincent threatened her.

"You got it, boss man," Yuffie chirped and hung up.

"You're smiling," Chaos informed his host.

"No, I am not," Vincent rearranged his facial features and stood, preparing to leave. He found a spare key, or possibly her only key, in the kitchen before leaving. The automatic locking device Yuffie installed indicated that she only kept the key for appearances. Her lock picks would never go missing, but her house key was infinitely more likely to be misplaced.

The route to the hospital was long and full of people as Vincent walked across the city. Vincent wasn't quite sure why Yuffie chose a cramped alleyway for her home when she could have afforded a nicer place. Mayhap her choice was akin to his own reasoning if her house layout was any indication to their similarities in living arrangements.

When Vincent arrived at the hospital, he found Yuffie lying in her bed, an angel of perfection. She must have been very patient with her façade since she could never catch Vincent before he appeared. He brought her doctor in order to expedite the discharge process. There was nothing quite like almost giving Yuffie something, then holding it just out of her reach and telling her to wait patiently.

"I don't advise it, but if she actually gets rest and eats properly, then I cannot complain against her. She had great recovery before this accident. So I will only release her under the condition that the person who discharges her will also be her caregiver," the doctor explained.

"I am not—"

"Vincent," Yuffie cut in, pleading gray puppy eyes. Silently, she begged him, "Just get me out, I'll stay with Tifa, just, please, get me out?"

"—sure of what dietary restrictions she is on," Vincent concluded after giving Yuffie a stern, fleeting look.

"We'll give you a list," the doctor said. "Yuffie, go ahead and get ready to go home. I'll take Mr. Valentine to get started with those papers and send up a nurse for a final chart check."

The men left and Yuffie peeled off her blankets and fumbled for her clothes in the cabinet by her bed. She needed a clean set of clothes the minute she got home. And a real bath; she hated smelling like hospital soap and her head constantly itched with Midgar shampoo. Happy thoughts of home let her breeze through her final vitals check before she was wheeled down to where Vincent was waiting.

"Ready to go home?" Vincent asked as they paused outside the hospital doors for Yuffie to breathe in her freedom.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Yuffie said before inviting herself to climb onto Vincent's back and wrap arms and legs around him. "Let's go!"


	20. Chapter 20

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 20

People stared at the tall, scary man with the petite girl clinging to his back, but mostly because it was obvious that he was not holding her. Both gloved and claw adorned hands swung freely at his sides. Miraculously, Yuffie stayed silent as Vincent passed through the morning crowds. He could feel her breathing—still careful and only half breaths—her steady heart beat and her warmth seeping into his back. It was a, silently, welcomed feeling that battled the cold in his heart.

When Vincent unlocked her door with the key, Yuffie gave a short bark of laughter which caused her to wince. She slid off him and went to sit on the couch, tired from holding her weight up for the entire walk back.

"Thanks, Vinnie, you really are a savior," Yuffie gave her sunniest smile to him. It seemed that he was always privileged with seeing that smile; no matter all the things going wrong around them. He wanted to tell her something, but her next words burned him like a Firaga spell. "Shouldn't you be heading back to her?"

Why would Yuffie ask such a question? She, herself, saw Lucrecia in his house. Saw what Lucrecia did with the drug. Yuffie's instincts knew better.

Then, Vincent saw it. The clouds in her eyes, glazing them with unhappiness. Instincts and logic had nothing to do with her question. It was something else entirely. Defeat, dejection and, worst of all, understanding. Somehow, Yuffie knew Vincent well enough to know that he still loved Lucrecia. From Yuffie's perspective, Vincent would always give Lucrecia a chance to explain herself. What she didn't know, was that Lucrecia already did.

"No," Vincent said in a flat, dull tone, "I do not need to go back."

"Vinnie," Yuffie didn't know why she was about to stab herself in the heart, "I'm sure it's all a mistake. You just need to go talk to her. You'll forgive her. I know you can find it in your heart."

Both of their hearts broke a little at her words.

All Vincent could do was shake his head. No words came from his mouth. From her seat on the couch, Yuffie saw darkness seeping into Vincent, like a shadow slowly dimming his form. It was bad; whatever it was.

Then he was gone. The door closed with an automatic click. Yuffie sighed and closed her eyes. She hated knowing Vincent was in pain. Hated it even more knowing that it was Lucrecia's fault. Her guilt should not be forced upon Vincent. That wasn't fair. Her not accepting Vincent's feelings and removal of that guilt was even more so unfair.

Yuffie saw her half assembled, shining weapon on the table. How anyone could disregard Vincent Valentine for _anything_ was beyond her.

In a desperate need to be clean, Yuffie meandered over to the bath and started filling it up. Fresh towels were pulled out and Yuffie dumped her clothing into the basket for laundry. The water was good at soaking thoughts, just as much as aches and pains, away. She washed herself thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks and resting her right arm so he wouldn't stretch her newly healed chest wounds.

Half an hour later, Yuffie pulled on clean shorts and a lumpy sweater over her tank top. She padded back into the living room with a towel on her head for a nap when she jumped at an odd sound from the kitchen. Peeking around the corner, she saw Vincent stocking her shelves with food.

"What are you doing?" Yuffie was confused. There had never been so much food in her house before.

"I am stocking your kitchen as per your doctor's orders," Vincent orderly put cans on a shelf.

"I can't reach those shelves," Yuffie informed him as he started placing items on the top shelf.

"You will not have to; I will feed you."

"Did you hit your head or somethin'?" Yuffie asked and rubbed her head, flicking water droplets on the counter.

"You need someone to keep an eye on you."

"And you need something to occupy your mind," Yuffie accused. "It's alright. You can use me. But only if it's what you really want."

The man looked down at the young woman. She was so incredible that it was hard to put a word on it. Being with Yuffie did things to him; chiefly among those things at that moment, was to make the hurt fade into a dull existence, not the stabbing, throbbing, acidic pain he felt at any other time. Yuffie's company, her companionship and compassion, were like a medicinal salve that made the wound bearable so he could address it without gasping like he had the air knocked from his lungs.

"I do not want to use you, Yuffie," Vincent's reply was a reluctant lie.

"Thank you for cleaning my shuriken," Yuffie seemingly changed gears. "You paid such close attention to it, I can tell."

She knew he had obsessively cleaned it, just the same as he cleaned his firearms. And he only ever did that if he wanted to keep himself from thinking about something. How Yuffie found so much about him, he didn't know. And as much as it scared him, it cheered him in equal amount.

"It requires a new grip before it can be reassembled."

"I see," Yuffie intoned and slumped carefully into the couch again. Vincent finished filling the kitchen and sat beside her.

"You should dry your hair before you catch a cold," Vincent noted her wet strands glistening in the sun. The shift in the couch presented Yuffie's back to him; a silent invitation.

Taking up the task, Vincent rubbed the water away softly from where it clung with a tender touch. His claw was a devastating weapon at all times. Pausing, he went to remove it, but a small hand rested on it.

"It won't hurt me," Yuffie said sleepily. "You won't hurt me."

She dozed under Vincent's ministrations, soft rubs, soothing fingers and luxurious pets upon her head. Vincent continued as if possessed, doing the same motion over and over, until Chaos softly spoke.

"It might be better if she lay down, V," Chaos seemed reluctant to interrupt.

Carefully, Vincent scooped Yuffie up, who roused slightly to inquire, "You leaving?"

"No," Vincent laid her down on her bed and pulled her blankets up to her chest.

"Good. It's always better when you're around," she slurred as sleep washed up to claim her again.

00000000000

Vincent spent the day in Yuffie's apartment. Mostly, he sat and stared at the wood block print of Wutai's skyline Yuffie hung in her bedroom as she slept. What he did as he sat and stared, was process everything that had happened over the last week.

"Valentine, you have to accept this," Chaos was observing from his perch in Vincent's mindscape. "You can't keep jumping from one thought to another. The scene changing every time you think of something else is a little nauseating."

Sure enough, every time Vincent thought of Lucrecia, he would tear his mind away, shying from the pain, shifting the location of the internal landscape where Chaos resided.

"I know, Chaos," Vincent rubbed his forehead, his mental exhaustion creeping into physical form.

"Get some sleep. You need it," Chaos told him and mentally shoved him into a dreamless sleep.

When Yuffie woke with a grumbling tummy, she rolled over and hit something warm. It smelled like gunpowder, cleaning oil and something entirely Vincent. She wanted to curl up and fall back asleep, but her mind wouldn't let her. Turning her attention to Vincent's sleeping form, Yuffie noticed the stress etched in his forehead that had appeared during their mission. While it had disappeared for a while, the lines came back with a vengeance and they didn't look like they would go away easily.

As if sensing her scrutiny, Vincent opened his eyes. Had Yuffie never saw it happen before, she would have instinctively attacked him. Thankfully, she had years of experience of seeing him wake up during their travels and missions.

"How was your nap?" Yuffie sat up, the blanket falling away, trapped under Vincent's body. The loss of his body heat by her side made her wound clench briefly before she grabbed the blanket again.

"Fine," Vincent vacated the bed, ashamed that she caught him asleep.

"Liar," Yuffie glared at him. She hated lies. Loved telling them, hated hearing them. "If you had a 'fine' nap, you wouldn't be so stiff."

Vincent didn't reply. He knew her distain towards lies and anything he said then would only be more lies. Grumbles in her stomach gave Vincent something else to address.

"I will make dinner," he walked out the door, Yuffie trailing after him, blanket dragging on the ground.

To say it was odd to see Vincent acting domestic as he made a simple meal was an understatement. Actually, Yuffie filed it as the understatement of the human era. She curled up on a vacant spot on the counter and watched Vincent boil water for tea and put a simple soup together.

"You cook often, Vinnie?" Yuffie knew he could put a camp fire meal together when the occasion called for it, but aside from that, Yuffie wasn't sure if anyone saw him near ingredients.

"It is a skill I learned," Vincent focused on cutting some bread from a loaf.

"What a complete non-answer," Yuffie reached a bare foot out to poke Vincent's leg, before pinching his belt with her toes and tugging like a child at a mother's apron strings. "Vinnie."

"Stop whining. You are too old to whine."

"No, I'm not," Yuffie pulled her leg back into the warmth of her blanket. "You know _why_ I act immaturely, don't you?"

Honestly, Vincent tried not to think on why anyone did anything. Supposition never ended well for him. Lucrecia, a case in point.

"I was Princess of Wutai, heir to the throne. There was a lot of pressure during the war. Then, Mother," Yuffie paused, "died and I took her place as the public female figure. I was seven."

Hearing Yuffie talking about her childhood was something he never thought would happen. She was paramount to anyone else in their group about keeping their history a secret. Even more so than Vincent, himself.

"I had no chance to be childish as a child. I have always been the one to make the hard, grown up decisions," for some reason, Vincent felt her small gaze piercing him fiercely. "Acting immaturely has always been a choice. If I didn't choose to remind myself to retain some of what it is like to be a child, who knows? Maybe I'd be like you. Without the awesome transformations, of course."

"We are not alike," Vincent poured the tea and found bowls for the soup.

"Yeah, that's because I made myself, I didn't let the things that happened to me drag me all the way down into that dark pit you're so comfortable in," Yuffie commented offhandedly. "I'll get the spoons."

As if she hadn't just verbally smacked him in the face for being passive in his life, Yuffie grabbed spoons, the tea tray and bread before tottering out into the living room. Pouring the soup into the bowls, Vincent followed her to the table where she nested down with her blanket.

"Are you angry with me?" Vincent inquired as he set Yuffie's food before her. She took a sip of soup before answering.

"No. When am I ever angry with you? I wasn't angry with you when you told me off for hitting Shelke. I wasn't angry when you sent me into the pit of Ying-Yangs in your basement. I wasn't angry any of the thousand times you didn't pick up your phone to celebrate anniversaries, the twins' birth or whatever. I didn't even get angry when you wanted to bring Dr. Crescent back. So, why," she stressed, "would I be angry at how you've chosen to live your life?"

"You are acting like you are angry," Vincent blew on his soup to cool it. He wasn't sure how Yuffie could drink the near scalding liquid without pause.

She just smiled at him. He had no idea what it was supposed to mean. They ate in, what was for Vincent, uncomfortable, silence until Yuffie finished her tea and let out a sigh of contentment.

"Ah, thank gawd I don't have to eat more of that awful hospital food," Yuffie piled dishes together and carted them off to the kitchen. Water turned on and Vincent stood with reluctance. "Sit back down, Vinnie. I can wash a few dishes."

"The doctor said for you to rest."

"In that case, drying cloth is in that drawer," Yuffie pointed with a foot as she continued to wash. She heard him move behind her, which was weird, since she _never_ heard him move, even when he was in her line of sight. "You okay, Vince? Something happen?"

"Why should you care? You are mad at me," Vincent said a little sharply, "It is nothing to concern you."

Water splattered on Vincent's face. Yuffie's quirked eyebrow told him that she would fling more if she deemed it necessary.

"Do not confuse concern, even if it's a little tense or… unwanted, for anger. I don't want to pry, since this one seems like the grand finale to your play of tragedies, but it is clearly a big deal."

"How can you tell?"

"Because I _know you_."


	21. Chapter 21

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 21

It felt like Yuffie's kitchen dropped several degrees as they stared at each other. Vincent, in confusion, Yuffie in stubborn defiance. As if Vincent was silently refuting her, Yuffie repeated her words.

"I know you," she punctuated each word with a half beat of pause. "I know there's something wrong, but I also know that I can't push you into anything. I don't know if you want to accept help; Leviathan knows you _need _it, but you have people who care."

Water trailed down her hands, dripping onto the floor and on her feet.

"Those same people, your _friends_, are willing to help you. You know why?" Yuffie's tone was raising as it always did when she got riled up in a conversation. This one had a sharp edge to it, though; showing Vincent that she was not as separated from the emotion of anger as she said she was.

"I will tell you why," she fumed when Vincent said nothing. "Because they want to help you, Vincent. You with your red cape and long hair. You with the glooming expression and the lack of speech. You with the metallic claw and demons comin' outta your ears. They accept and embrace who you are. Right now, the man standing in my kitchen has more friends than that perfect rising star in the Turks with a crush on the pretty lady. And you know what?"

She paused, taking a long, careful breath before blinking and turning away. Plunging her hands back into the soapy water she resumed her previous task of washing dishes.

Five seconds of silence meant Vincent had two more before he knew if it was going to be the silent treatment or a sudden bipolar twist to a new subject. He wasn't going to let that happen.

"What do I know?"

She washed the last pot and rinsed her hands before answering.

"Nothing. It's none of my business," she snapped water from her hands with sharp flicks of her wrists, movements that were graceful. They could also be dangerous when wielding the throwing daggers she used to snare her bedroom windows.

Turning so she didn't have to look at him, Yuffie walked for her room.

"Thank you for getting me from the hospital. You can leave the key on the counter and let yourself out," Yuffie closed and locked her bedroom door, leaving Vincent, desolate and just as alone as when he heard Lucrecia say she couldn't love him.

"Where the hell did _that_ come from?" Chaos's bafflement was a better portrayal of Vincent's emotions than his blank emptiness. "I thought we knew the ninja girl better than this."

"Apparently, not."

"She just kicked you out. Kicked you out, _knowing_ that there's something wrong with you," Chaos started ticking a list with his fingers. "Told you that you had friends who cared, but _didn't_ include herself. And she didn't offer to help you. I think it's a first. She's angry."

"Yuffie said she was not angry. She does not lie to me," Vincent scrambled to get his mind in some semblance of action.

"Maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe it was sarcasm."

"I cannot deal with an angry Yuffie right now," Vincent said. He refused to admit that he never wanted to deal with an angry Yuffie. Angry Yuffie meant that bright, cheerful, warm Yuffie was gone. And everyone knew the world was a better place with a happy Yuffie.

"Keep the key, go tell Strife about Yuffie. She might not want to see you, but someone needs to check in on her, even if they force themselves in," Chaos took charge. He could see Vincent's thoughts; gray clouds that drifted and morphed, but couldn't form any cohesive thought long enough to do anything with it. "Come on, let's go."

Vincent left, taking the key with him and making sure the door locked properly behind him.

000000000

The click of the front door finally came and Yuffie finally allowed herself to break down and cry. Hot tears drew lines of searing pain down her cheeks as she crumpled on the floor. The hands she had pressed on the door beside her cocked ear, slowly followed and she weakly clawed her fingers as if she could grasp onto the grain of the wood for a lifeline.

Vincent had been her last call from the hospital. Everyone else who could get her out was busy. Legitimately busy and Yuffie couldn't beg them. To learn that Vincent would come for her elated her. It put Yuffie on par with Lucrecia for once. Not that Yuffie knew Vincent was alone and, therefore, was not choosing to be with Yuffie over Lucrecia. Nor did Yuffie know what happened with Lucrecia the night before.

Anger welled up inside her and she was grasping for air as she started to fall into shock. It wasn't anger at Vincent. It was true, that she could never be truly angry with the mysterious man. But that didn't stop her from being angry with herself. For thinking that she could handle the 'look, but don't touch' rule. She let her infatuation with Vincent destroy her. She thought she was superior to her emotions, that she could govern them.

With all her practice, Yuffie truly believed she could handle it. Wrong. How completely and utterly wrong. Ego got in the way of wisdom. 'Run away' was the voice of reason, 'meet someone new,' 'move on.' Those were all better solutions to the one Yuffie was living through right then.

Tears induced mucus, mucus started coughing. Then Yuffie was rushing to unlatch her door and somehow crawl into the bathroom to throw up everything she had just started to digest. Everything hurt. Her wound, eyes, nose, throat, head and an entire set of muscle aches that made her spasm.

"Gawd! Leviathan, make me not love him. If I didn't love him, then watching his heart breaking because of her wouldn't hurt so much. No one's heart is breaking because mine is and you know what? That just makes _me_ the pathetic one," Yuffie coughed up more vomit, disgusting herself on multiple levels. "Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic."

Repeating the word with every breath, Yuffie slumped, leaning on the wall of the bathroom and only used motion sickness instincts to flush the toilet before she passed out, shivering on the floor.

0000000000

Vincent had never been scolded by a ten year old girl before. But that just meant that Marlene Wallace was no average ten year old who would shy away from the man three times her height.

"How could you just leave her there alone? She's injured and you took her out of the hospital before she should. It's your responsibility to do the right thing until she is fully healed," Marlene was really getting into her lecture. Her arms alternated between being crossed and reaching out to grasp Vincent's belts to keep his attention focused on her. She continued to rant and rave at how Vincent wasn't acting like a mature person.

"Marlene!" Tifa came downstairs with wet hair. The reason she hadn't been down before and Marlene had taken the initiative to lecture was that she was still in the shower to prepare for the night of work. Bar work skewed Tifa's time table in relation to everyone else's. Never before had that simple element so thoroughly affected Vincent's existence.

"Tifa!" Marlene grabbed a fistful of Vincent's cloak to prevent him from running without a proper scolding from the professional. "Vincent discharged Yuffie early, then left her at home alone."

"Marlene, can you go check on the babies?" Tifa excused the girl and watched her feet disappear up the stairs before turning to Vincent. "What's going on, Vincent?"

She moved to a table, giving Vincent the silent order that he needed to sit and play the cards in his hand if he wanted to get out of her bar. Ever.

The chair was a harsh reality of Vincent's life. Interrogation was something he had never gone through, but he was not sure if he wanted to if everyone had the skills of Tifa Lockheart. Suddenly, Lucrecia seemed to be the least of his issues.

"What's going on, Vincent?" Asking again, Tifa's expression showed patience, but that was her most dangerous weapon. It always had been. "You went missing and I couldn't visit you in the hospital."

Her hands reached out and took his. The warmth from her fingers seeped into his glove and claw.

"What happened?"

"It is…"

"Something important," cutting him off before he could say 'nothing,' Tifa salvaged the conversation and put the ball back in her court. "Vincent, this is about _you_. Not Yuffie. Not Lucrecia. Not Chaos or the Planet. Just you."

"It is not that simple, Tifa," Vincent looked at the table where their hands lay. "Nothing is about 'just me.'"

"Are you finally admitting that people are connected to you? That you aren't as alone as you always try to make us believe?"

"I never said that. I only mean that it is safer if I do not integrate into your lives."

Tifa scoffed. "You're our friend. And I think we've made it fairly clear that we want you around. Have we ever made it seem like we don't want you?"

"No, Tifa, you have not."

"You know you can talk to us about anything. We respect you and your choices as long as it doesn't include secluding yourself from the world," Tifa patted his hands and pulled hers back, but left them on the table. "We want to help, Vincent."

"I do not need help."

"We all need a little help, even just now and then. And maybe you don't need it for yourself, but Yuffie needs help to get better. So," Tifa stood and prepared to pass her judgment, "as long as you are going about not getting help for yourself, you might as well offer it to Yuffie. I know you're probably busy spending time with Lucrecia too, but you can't just drop all of us for her. You owe Yuffie an hour or so of your time to help her out and make sure she's not dying on the bathroom floor or something."

"Tifa," Vincent stared at his hands, clenching and unclenching them as he tried to form the words. Even with Chaos's encouragement, he couldn't say it himself. "Call Reeve. I will try to take care of Yuffie."

"Don't try. Just do it," Tifa called out, confused at the cryptic message to the quickly retreating back of, the now deeply in thought, Vincent.

0000000000000

Yuffie woke groggily. A foul taste lingered in her mouth and she recalled her tearful breakdown and vomiting. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. There was no way she was going to let anyone see her as a mess. No one saw the Princess of Wutai in an emotional mess; ever. Even after she deposed herself.

Sleep was done. No more of that for Yuffie even though night was settling in. Hands needed something to do, even if her doctor said she couldn't do any physical activities. Wandering back into her living room, she fell into her couch. Lying back, she tested the range of her movements. Limited beyond the point of frustrated, Yuffie clutched her ribs after her short exploratory workout.

Fingers itched to do something. Knowing that her body was broken frustrated her. Knowing that her mind was rampaged with emotion infuriated her. Daggers and cleaning cloths were in her hands and she focused her intent there. Whatever Vincent chose to do with his life had nothing to do with her. Why should she care if he wanted to be with a woman who didn't appreciate him? Make no mistake, Yuffie knew she was being passive aggressive. She just didn't care.

The sound of the door opening elicited an instinctive jerk and a dagger flew through the air. For the second time in the past few months, Vincent had a blade at his neck. But this time, he had to stop it himself.

Walking over, he placed the knife back on the table in front of the glaring ninja.

"You didn't follow my instructions, Vincent," Yuffie said. She hated how her voice cracked at his name.

"I have never had discipline for not following orders. I just had my first interrogation today," Vincent had thought on his way back and Chaos convinced him that if anything in the world happened that day, it was that he would get on Yuffie's good side.

"I'm not your Turk boss or Reeve," Yuffie snapped. "I told you to leave. I'm not your responsibility, you have someone else to rely on you. If you suddenly feel like you need someone to fawn over you; go to _her_."

Standing, Yuffie flung a handful of darts at a wall, sinking them halfway into the wood and cheap stuffing that insulated her home. Vincent stared at them and didn't say anything.

"Ooh, hit a nerve , did I? Did I say something _not_ true? You'd do anything for her, everyone knows this. But you know what? I don't care, so give me my key and get your ass out that door," Yuffie pointed to the front door.

"You are wrong, Yuffie. I do not need someone to fawn over me," he stood and looked down into her storming eyes. "I do not know what I need."

"That's a surprise," Yuffie muttered and turned away, unable to look into his gaze for a moment longer.

"I was told, long time ago, that in times of uncertainty, be with the ones you trust," Vincent followed Yuffie as she tried to yank her blades from the wall.

"You? Trust?" A humorless laugh filled the room, but died suddenly as Vincent pulled her around.

"Trust," his crimson orbs bore into her eyes and she couldn't turn away from the intensity piercing her soul. His voice was low, guarded, but surprisingly honest. "There is no one I trust more than you."

"Doubt," Yuffie expressed herself in one word. To form a complete sentence was impossible.

"Yuffie, she does not love me. She left me before, but this time," he reached behind Yuffie and yanked out the knives with ease, "we walked away from each other."


	22. Chapter 22

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 22

Conflict of interests tore at Yuffie. First, she wanted to jump for joy that Lucrecia was out of the picture, potentially forever, but she wasn't going to hold her breath. Then, there was her empathy towards Vincent for the pain of betrayal and complete void caused by abandonment. Third, there was her sadistic side telling him 'now you know how I feel.' And finally, there was the primal urge to grab him, strip him down and have sex until he asked, "Lucrecia Who?"

In the end, interest number three won out. As a woman scorned, she felt she was justified in not letting him off easily just because his crush didn't like him after all. Yuffie knew that Vincent would not show her any kindness. Especially since he was her crush and would, in that scenario, be the one not liking her. This, she knew for a certainty. He'd been ignoring her emotions for five years. But of course, five years was nothing compared to thirty.

"Yuffie?" Vincent was facing her now. Several minutes had passed and Yuffie had yet to respond. The only response he got for saying her name was a look of disgruntled and microscopic interest; mostly indicating that her ears were still connected to her brain. "I could use your friendship right now."

"Well that's not something for you to decide," her response was like the reeling effect from a Goblin Punch, sudden and short, but with lasting consequences. "You don't choose when you get my friendship; I do."

Turning away, Yuffie looked for something to do; anything. Her hands fell upon the large shuriken Vincent had cleaned in the early hours of the morning. Checking the balance, she adjusted the screws that held the pieces together before pulling out a spare strip of cloth. As she wound the handle, she ignored Vincent as he knelt close, too close, to her knee.

"Yuffie," tiredly, Vincent felt like he was becoming stone and somehow he knew that Yuffie would be his Golden Needle. "Why?"

With brisk, precise movement, Yuffie finished her task and went in search of another one. She found it in the form of taking the soiled stretch of leather to the kitchen to throw away. Vincent followed. Yuffie put a kettle on for tea. Her mother always said tea was the best for calming nerves, when physical training was not an option.

Reaching up, Yuffie tried to pull down her tea set without the aid of her stool or climbing onto the counter. The result was painful. Even though she reached with her left hand, her right lung twinged and the ceramics fell off the shelf. Shielding herself, Yuffie had to abandon her falling teapot as she grabbed her ribs and tried to back away from the imminent pieces of sharp stoneware. She tried, but failed when she backed into Vincent's chest, enclosed as he claw wrapped around her waist and held her to him and his hand deftly caught the pot before it shattered on the countertop.

Yuffie dangled slightly, her heels not quite touching the floor as Vincent held her tight, his claw a solid weight on her hip and his arm taut over her body like a seatbelt in a crash. She refused to think of the heat on her back and butt. Flat out refused.

"Release me," she ordered through her gritted teeth. Though his hold loosened and she felt her feet on the floor, properly, he did not move; leaving her just as caged as when he held her. The pot was still in his hand. Snatching it, she moved to the stove. Vincent pulled cups for both of them as a silent message to say he wasn't just going to leave. Grudgingly, she shook enough tea leaves for two into the pot before pouring the lightly steaming water. She knew she was in no position to force him out.

They sat in tense silence as they drank their tea. Neither one able to voice their thoughts. Mostly because their thoughts were all over the place and talking would result in a mess. Too messy to describe in detail, but there would have been yells, tears and most likely more vomiting on Yuffie's part.

Instead, Yuffie drummed her fingers in perfect beat, running up and down with each of her fingers. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Up and down. She didn't even notice. As usual, it pulled Vincent from his thoughts, as scrambled as they were in that moment, and he laid his claw over her hand.

Shocked from the contact, Yuffie wrenched her hand away, spilling hot tea onto one of her bare legs and cutting the back of her hand on the sharp edges of the gauntlet. Blood welled up and Yuffie had jumped up, swearing a string of expletives she picked up from Barret and Cid.

"Let me see," Vincent followed Yuffie to the bathroom.

"No," the door slammed in his face, blowing his hair and cape back. The faucet turned on and the scent of her blood diluted a little before he heard her shuffle around.

"I am opening the door," Vincent turned the handle and broke her lock.

"Get out," Yuffie tried to shove him away as she balanced on one foot as she tried to wash the remnants of her tea off her leg without getting water all over the floor and keeping her bleeding hand from making a mess.

"No," stepping in, Vincent picked her up, set her on the counter and swiveled her so her burned leg extended over the sink. The water rushed over the irritated skin and he retrieved the first aid kit. "Stop moving."

Yuffie was trying to run away when Vincent's back was turned. Weighing her options took less than a nanosecond and Yuffie was already sighing in resignation before Vincent finished talking. The turned back and put the box on Yuffie's lap.

"Where is your antiseptic?" Vincent pushed things around in his search.

"In your first aid kit," Yuffie scratched the tip of her nose. "Put it there when you went to the cave. You didn't have any in yours."

"And you did not take it back?"

"You unpacked," Yuffie snipped. "It's fine, just put ointment on."

Blood was still welling up from the cuts on her hand. Vincent pulled his glove off with his mouth and soaked a towel to staunch the crimson flow. Gripping Yuffie's hand with the towel between them was comforting for Vincent. Perhaps taking care of Yuffie was the best thing to do for the moment.

Her left hand on the counter keeping her balance started to twitch.

"You can let go now," Yuffie was done with the hand holding. It was uncomfortably nice. When he didn't release her, she tugged; futilely. "Let go."

"You never used to order me around so much," Vincent carefully peeled the towel away as he simultaneously tucked his glove into a belt carefully with hic claw so he could speak. "What changed, Yuffie?"

"What changed?" Yuffie turned off the faucet with a vicious twist. "Well, it wasn't me."

"No?" Vincent carefully enclosed her wrist in his claw. He could feel her heightened pulse through the metal of the gauntlet. With light fingers, Vincent smoothed an ointment over the angry red slashes on her knuckles.

"I always bossed you around. You never seemed to listen so much. So you tell me," Yuffie turned, water dripping down her leg as it hung over the counter. "What changed?"

"I told you," Vincent finished with the salve, but didn't let go of her wrist. He desperately hoped that she didn't fight his grip. The metal would shred her arteries and even the highest level Cure materia wouldn't fix it.

"That Lucrecia Crescent doesn't love you. Man," Yuffie laughed in astonishment, "I knew Love was blind. I didn't know it was incompetent as well! She played you."

Peeling his claw off carefully one digit at a time, Yuffie got free and jumped off the counter. Swiping at her leg with a clean towel, Yuffie continued to rant. The flood gates were opening.

"You talked to Shelke, but you never really listened to what she was really saying, were you? All you could see was your fond memories of Dr. Crescent and that someone else had those same memories. But all that tells you is that they happened. You remember what caused Shelky-Welky to get those memories, right? The research. Her obsession. Science. All the reasons she used to push you away. She found you easy to push away.

"Her guilt was too powerful to tell you. Yeah, I bet my gil on the fact that she was worried about what you thought about her. Of the fact that your father protected her when something happened in that cave. You know what, though? That's not the worst of it. She was ashamed of how she felt for you. So ashamed, in fact, that she let _everything_ happen.

"She was too weak to love you. She couldn't accept herself. How was she supposed to accept you? As a Turk? Now? You deserve someone better than someone who would let misplaced guilt get in the way of love."

Yuffie's voice cracked as she forced her tears down. Emotions burned in her eyes. Anger, compassion, honesty, pain. Layer upon layer of emotion welled, swirled and mixed in her wide eyes. She faced him, square, telling him the honest truth, regardless to the pain she dealt him or the remorse she felt for saying it.

Honesty was a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but it was the remedy that worked. If one had the strength to overcome the bitterness to get to the cure on the inside.

"Yuffie," Vincent said her name slowly, trying to get his thoughts together. "Who could ever, truly, love someone like me?"

She froze. Oh, she would have given over the Knights of the Round for him to take back his question.

"Is there someone on this Planet who could love me, monsters and all?" Vincent pressed her, positioning himself in the doorway, he cut off her only escape.

"They are not," Yuffie started, but stopped. She wasn't going down that path. Confessing her feelings was not something she was going to do. She should not have even let herself worry about him in a friend capacity.

"Yuffie, I do not understand what is going on," the honesty felt weird on his tongue, but Chaos gave him a nod of approval in his mind.

"You don't," she paused and he could see her small pink tongue push against her teeth and cheek as she fought her frustration. "You don't understand?"

He nodded.

"There's the door. Go through it and never come back. You've always been saying how you want me to stop bugging you, so here's your chance. Take it and go," she made exaggerated waves of her hand as if shooing a large fly away.

"Our first conversation at the hospital after the fight with Fitzroy," Vincent refused to move and Yuffie didn't dare get closer. "I said I wanted to be with people who accept me. What was your response?"

Dropping her gaze, Yuffie remembered. They were talking about choices. She made a choice to leave the WRO. He made a choice to accept his current self. Her response had been, "Does that mean you'll stop complaining about my phone calls?"

How Yuffie became so fickle with her emotions, she didn't know. She said she loved him from a distance for five years, but if she was trying so hard to throw it away, even after learning that the competition was out of the picture, then Yuffie didn't deserve Vincent's love or attention any more than Lucrecia.

"You are one of the people I want to be with, Yuffie. You, more than anyone else, have always accepted me for who I am," Vincent's breathing became shallow. "You have always been there for me."

"Not anymore. Get out," Yuffie clenched her eyes shut, as if to stop her thoughts. "Get out! Out! Out!"

She hit him. Punches, kicks, and elbows landed painfully, but Vincent didn't move. Thirty seconds was her limit before her lung left her seething for breath and she fell into Vincent. Tears disguised themselves in the sweat on her face as she fought the pain. Carefully, Vincent scooped her up and took her to her bed. His hand, still ungloved, rubbed her wound in warm, slow circles, ebbing the pain away.

Yuffie forgot about kicking him out.

00000000000

"Say what, Reeve?" Tifa was standing in front of the WRO leader in his office. After closing the bar, Tifa barely rested before leaving Cloud in bed to get some answers.

"Tifa, you heard me the first two times," Reeve was surprised to get a call from Tifa so early in the morning. What surprised him more was her question when she came in.

"Lucrecia confessed to wanting to experiment on Vincent?"

"And not being able to love him, yes," Reeve sighed. The court system was having a field day with the Crescent case and they were still confused on some parts. "What's Vincent like? He left in a weird state."

"Actually," Tifa shifted a little uncomfortably, "he discharged Yuffie from the hospital, at her request. And I sent him back to take care of her."

"Not good. We can't be sure if he'll tell her. Worse, even if he does, who knows how she's going to react," Reeve started to gather his keys and phone. "We need to check on them."

Agreeing, Tifa stood and they hurried out.

000000000

Chaos was humming a timeless tune, finally getting some peace. Vincent was half dozing as he made small circles of warmth on Yuffie's injury and that translated into peace and quiet in Vincent's mind. Something he was lacking from the past few days.

Peace and sleep were two things that made Chaos's task easier. Flitting from one thought to another, the entity shifted some of Vincent's thoughts into a more organized array than the utter mess it was before. A little nudge here, a shove there and then the pieces seemed to flow a little better. All Chaos had to do then was lock Vincent with his thoughts, only his thoughts, until he straightened them out.

The twist in reality woke Yuffie and she stared into Chaos's glowing eyes in the predawn shadows.

"Hello, Yuffie," Chaos said amiably.

"Hiya, Chaos."

"It seems like we'll be spending some time together."


	23. Chapter 23

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 23

"Why are you out, Chaos?" Yuffie winced and sat up. Chaos helped her with a strong arm at her back. "Thanks."

"Are you upset to see me, sweetheart?" Chaos fluffed a pillow, an almost laughable action if he wasn't so completely dangerous.

"Upset? No, just curious."

"Well, 'Vinnie' needs some time with his thoughts. You know he's not good with words and I don't think he was handling the situation here with you very well."

"And you're, what, helping out?" Yuffie took the blanket Chaos retrieved from her closet and curled up under it. "Why?"

"Personal investment," Chaos stretched his wings, careful not to hit anything. "You're the best thing for him. You know, since I've been with him, I've seen and experienced his life. I know what's good and what's bad. You're one of the good. The best out of the few. By a long shot."

"So, you talking to me, giving Vincent time to work whatever is going on in his head… it's because you don't wanna be bored for the rest of your life?" Yuffie scratched her cheek as she thought. "I'm not sure if I have the whole picture."

"Here's a piece of the puzzle. I like life with Valentine. That woman always makes it hard," Chaos shrugged.

"Like an unhealthy relationship?"

The sun was starting to rise.

"Exactly."

"We don't have a healthy relationship, either, Chaos," Yuffie whispered, running a hand through her hair.

"What are you talking about, Yuffie?" Chaos didn't want to waste time. Speculation when it came to human relationships was only fun if it had nothing to do with the threat of Vincent becoming a recluse again. Life was not worth living if the only thing that existed was the lid of a coffin and parties inside Vincent's head.

"You don't plan on telling him anything, do you?" Yuffie looked out the window even though there wasn't anything to see.

"If you don't want me to," Chaos peered down at the peculiar woman. She continued to run her hand through her hair over and over as she thought.

"One sided… affection only lasts so long. You know that, Chaos? It's tiring. Loving someone who doesn't reciprocate. Vincent lasted over thirty years with her; I thought I was better. Thought that my love for him was stronger than his love for Lucrecia. I just hit five years. I'm throwing in the towel. I'm done," Yuffie laughed. "I actually have to say thanks to Dr. Crescent, she showed me a different side of Vincent."

"Which side was that?"

"The dumb side," she deadpanned. Then suddenly, she got out of bed. "I'm hungry, you hungry?"

"I don't eat."

"Your loss, c'mon, there's more room out here anyway," Yuffie led the way out to the front. "So you're just forcing Vincent into a time out to think about whatever it was that Lucrecia said. Why don't you spend your time… somewhere else?"

"Yuffie, he does care about you. I sit, literally, in his thoughts. Pushing him away isn't the way to be happy."

"I don't want to be rebound girl. Not after thirty years of devotion. That's not him choosing me because he moved on. That's him using me to fill the void of Lucrecia Crescent, not making how he feels about me more important. See the nuances of a girl's mind? I know mine doesn't work the same as others," she said as she wandered into the kitchen and came back out with a glass of water and an orange.

"Are you saying you don't care about him at all?"

"Oh, I care. I still care. More than a friend. But I don't want what Vincent can offer right now," she spoke between swallows of fruit.

"If you leave him now, he might never get back to any semblance of a normal life."

"That's not my responsibility. He is not my responsibility."

"And yet, knowing that you are the _only_ person on this Planet who can make his life worth living doesn't mean anything to you?" Chaos admired her collection of weapons as he spoke.

"I told Fitzroy something before I dropped him. You know what that was?" Yuffie popped the last wedge into her mouth.

"What did you tell him?" Chaos was apprehensive. All instincts said that bad news was coming.

"I told him not to rely on any one person too much. Too much burden on the person, see. Some don't like being the sole pillar of support for a freight ship load of issues. We can't all be Tifa Lockheart for gawd's sake," Yuffie drank her water. "So, see, this is me getting out of a relationship that is only getting worse."

She gave him a long hard look.

"You want something from me," Chaos saw her nod. "I'm not helping you if there isn't a benefit for me."

"A compromise? What can I possibly offer you, Chaos?"

"Entertainment in the future. You go now, but only with the promise that you will give Valentine the chance he deserves when he comes to get you."

"That's what you want. For me to be the entertainment in your existence by being in his life?" Yuffie pondered, walking back into the kitchen to throw away her orange peel. "I make this promise and you will never tell Vincent any of this?"

"That's right, princess."

"Let me have a moment," Yuffie disappeared into the kitchen.

Chaos heard her refill her glass of water and drink as she contemplated the deal. Freedom, apparently was worth the gamble.

"Alright. You stall for a while, or however long he needs to work that," she motioned with 'crazy fingers' around her head, "all out. You can hang around or leave, whichever you prefer."

Yuffie disappeared into her room and appeared with a bag in her hand.

"Pass me that one, please," Yuffie pointed to the Conformer on the wall. Chaos kindly pulled it off the wall and handed it to her.

"You will be careful with that injury, right?"

"Of course. See you never, Chaos," Yuffie walked out the door.

0000000000

Vincent hated the void. It wasn't like he was afraid of it, he could be quite comfortable there. He hated getting shoved in there like a child in time out. If there was ever a flaw in the results of the transformation experiments, that was it. Not controlling the most deadly of entities. By deadly, Vincent believed the term 'smartest' was synonymous.

He spent a stretch of time swearing Chaos before sulking. Thoughts scattered in the void in all directions as Vincent slowly got over his frustration and they filtered back from the edges of his subconscious.

As they filtered in, Vincent gave them a cursory glance, but shied away from them. He spent time weaving his way through his thoughts; they were thick like the undergrowth of the Ancient Forest and he didn't particularly want to destroy anything in case he needed it later. Destroying parts of his mind did not seem like a good idea, even if it was just a few thoughts of memories and ideas. When Vincent killed something, it stayed dead. Even within his own mind.

Tiptoeing only lasted so long before Vincent got bogged down. It was obvious that he had to address the issues or drown in them.

0000000000

"Rufus," Yuffie walked into the office with an upset Elena at her side. "I need a favor."

"Yuffie, I told you, no Golden Chocobo," the President of Shin-Ra Electric waved the blonde Turk away. "What do you need?"

"An unchartered flight out of here. Just… wherever your Turks can drop me off would be good. If they have out of town business, I could just, you know, hitch a ride."

"Are you running from something, princess?" Rufus went to her and pulled the bag from her hand and pointed to a chair.

"Running? No. Walking as quickly as I can. Which isn't fast enough right now," Yuffie detached the Conformer from her back and set it on her lap when she sat. "Look, Rufus, I just don't want to be found right now. I didn't finish everything I set out to do and when I got shot, so I want to lay low."

"But not in Edge," Rufus surmised correctly. At her nod, he went to a file and flipped it open. "Well, I have some business in Junon this week. I'm leaving tomorrow morning if you would like to accompany me there. Then you can stay there or I can lend you Reno and the heli to take you wherever you want to go."

"Junon will be fine, thank you, Rufus," Yuffie stood and reached for her bag.

"Where are you going?"

"You said you're flying out tomorrow. I'm not going to sit in your office like a hobo."

"Of course not, the lounge room is one floor down. Rooms are also equipped with beds. And I will take it as a personal honor if the former Princess of Wutai joined me for dinner tonight," Rufus's blue eyes had a twinkle of light heartedness mixed with scrutiny.

"Thank you, Rufus, I accept," Yuffie gave him a brief smile before taking her leave. She found a clean bunk in the sleeping rooms off the lounge downstairs and fell, gratefully, into it.

Walking from her apartment to Shin-Ra Electric Company's office strained her lung injury. Some serious healing time was in order. Using Cure materia only helped so much and effectiveness was mostly for physical fatigue from battle, not fixing lasting effects of an internal wound.

Stashing her bag beneath her head and gripping her weapon, Yuffie laid down and focused on taking even breaths for her meditation.

00000000

"You just missed her," Chaos was standing in Yuffie's doorway talking to an astonished Reeve and an outraged Tifa. Yuffie left only half an hour before her friends arrived, worried of her condition as well as Vincent's.

"Chaos, did you let her get away?" Tifa glared up into the demon's face, fury blazing from her burgundy eyes.

"You make it sound like I have to keep a leash on her, Mrs. Strife," Choas invited them inside. "I have priorities. Valentine is number one. I can't have him crawling back into a coffin. Do you _know_ just how boring it is with no external interaction?"

"Alright, Chaos," Reeve raised a hand to stave off any more of the ranting monologue. "We understand your reasons. But we're also worried about Yuffie's emotional and physical state."

"Where did she go? Can't you tell us?" Tifa begged.

"I don't know. She told me she would be careful, thought," Chaos shrugged his massive wings. "And she might not be around for a while."

"Why do you say that?" inquired Reeve.

"One, she took the Conformer," Chaos gave a glance at the wall with the empty spot, "and two, she made me a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Tifa started to glare.

"No use trying to drill into my had with your stare. I'll let you know at a more appropriate time. Unless you can get Yuffie to tell you herself," Chaos shrugged again.

Tifa pulled out her phone and went into the kitchen.

"What have you done to Vincent, Chaos?" Reeve looked up into the calm expression of the dangerous creature.

"Forced him to face his own mind. He's struggling right now; I can feel it. But he's finally addressing them. I think he will come out in one piece. Different, but intact."

"I can't reach her," Tifa sighed and looked forlornly at her phone. "Are you sure—"

"I'm not saying any more, Tifa. You have work tonight. Go home and get some more rest. Yuffie's fine," Chaos said firmly, leaving no room for argument. With a sigh, Tifa left.

"What are you going to do, Chaos?" Reeve sighed. Things were no better than before. He was tired and there was no end in sight.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll go back to Valentine's apartment. Eventually."

"Things really are… chaotic, aren't they?" A wry smile tugged at Reeve's lips.

"Yes, but not by any fault of mine," a vicious grin broke out. "It's really noisy in Valentine's mind right now."

"Can you help him?"

"I'm already doing everything I can."

0000000000

Sophia prowled her single room apartment. Lip firmly between her teeth, she mentally cursed morals in the weak minded humans.

"I was so close. So close," she looked at the files strewn all over her table, bed and walls. When Jenova was eradicated from the world, Alexander Green's experiment ended. Sophia's, however, did not.

Hard science was all fine and dandy, but while that was her job, her interests were in people. Particularly, the manipulation of people. She manipulated Dr. Green and, therefore, an entire city. Getting Lucrecia out was the first success. Using her to take down a hero was supposed to be the second.

But instead, right when she could taste her victory, Little Miss Conscience ruined everything.

"Who knew that guilt was the best and worst aspect of humans," Sophia shoved paper aside and sat on the floor. "Don't worry, Mom and Dad, I'll get him."

A picture in her hands showed a laboratory. Mako glowing in the background lit the room full of scientists. Each team of lab coated scientists stood by their test subject. Her mother, Jenna Woods, with her large impregnated belly, stood beside a tank with a sleeping Nero.


	24. Chapter 24

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 24

Yuffie was comfortable in her new residence. That information alone was nothing unusual. The fact that she was now living in a house to rival her father's palace, that was unusual.

"I'm home," a voice called out and Yuffie rolled over on the couch on which she was currently occupying.

"Welcome back. How was your meeting?" Yuffie reached out and pulled files off the neighboring chair to make room for her benefactor.

"Long," Rufus sat down and cracked his neck. "How are you feeling?"

"I was fine, then I read some of these files," Yuffie pointed to the pile she just moved. "Those things read worse than a car manual. How do you read them?"

"You read those?" Rufus tentatively peeled a cover open. "These are Elena's. I never read her files."

"I slept really well while reading," Yuffie admitted while fixing her blanket. "So there is some good from that."

They arrived in Junon in the midmorning. Yuffie had been a little green around the gills and Rufus told her to rest at his home until they could finalize things without the threat of her puking. The night before, during dinner, Rufus pieced enough together and offered his Junon penthouse. No one would find her in a Shinra family home.

"I talked with my physician. He said he would stop by tonight to check in on you," Rufus stood and went to his desk across the room. "Whatever you do, do not offer him money. He's already in my employ and he does not enjoy exploiting others."

"A real medic. Curing people because he's able to. Medicine Man at home is like that too. Good people," Yuffie mused as she watched Rufus settle into his work.

"I heard what you did after Meteorfall," Rufus looked over the edge of a paper at her. "You are also one of those selfless healers, Yuffie. Now you have to take care of yourself."

"Day one and I'm already bored. You wouldn't have anything in need of being cleaned, organized or well, anything, do you?"

"You are not going anywhere near the materia vaults," Rufus didn't even look up. "However, if you plan on being around for a while, I have a few projects you can help with. Your experiences in Wutai and the WRO can be useful here in Junon."

"Um, this isn't about espionage, is it?" Yuffie pointed at her chest. "Cuz I got shot. I can't run up buildings at the moment."

"I was thinking of organizing a team for cleaning up the harbor."

"Oh, if that's all, I could do that. After my nap," Yuffie closed her eyes, not to nap, but to give Rufus some quiet for his work. It also gave her some time to think.

She was the first to admit that her mind was organized a little differently than others. What had set her off on her emotional rollercoaster regarding Vincent, was, in fact, her own words. That she always made the hard, grown up decisions. Making the choice not to romantically fling herself at Vincent was the hard decision. Not continuing to fling harsh words at Lucrecia and Vincent's stupidity, that was the grown up decision.

She needed something to move her life forward. Taking back the throne and running her country was impossible, but helping Rufus clean up Junon was very much possible. It was the step she took.

0000000000

Vincent swam through his thoughts, memories and dreams. His dreams of Lucrecia were the first to disperse. None of them were possible any more. All he could hope for a future regarding her was that there couldn't be any. He found a glimmer of satisfaction to know that, on top of getting rid of Jenova's cells, there was some good in releasing Lucrecia from the crystal.

Even though it hurt, he had finally gotten the truth of how she felt. She had loved him. Just a little maybe, but there had been a time when Lucrecia Crescent loved Vincent Valentine. More than her guilt of her involvement with Grimoire, Lucrecia still loved Vincent, even if it allowed for her love to create more guilt.

He accepted that fact and laboriously moved on. There were more concerns with her recent choices than with the ones of the past. Lies and deception were not her cup of tea. Those were unnecessary with her umbrella use of secrets. There was something not quite right with her personalities. Before, Lucrecia's actions were driven by her over-thinking of guilt and her application of science. After her release from the crystal, her motives felt different, even if Vincent couldn't pin the reason why.

Words floated to him and Vincent turned towards them.

"_They seemed to make so much sense. Her ideas and explanations_."

"Who is she talking about? Who would want to control Lucrecia's decisions? Her actions? What is there to gain?" Vincent treaded in his thoughts, a pause in his process.

Not that Lucrecia being persuaded by another person could lessen her betrayal, but, rather, to increase his understanding, Vincent searched his mind on who it could be. Someone she saw on a regular basis. Someone she would trust and no one would suspect of seen together.

Sophia Woods.

"Chaos! Chaos!" Vincent yelled. He wasn't sure if Chaos could see into his mind even when their forms were switched, but Vincent had to try. "Chaos, let me out, I need to tell Reeve about Sophia Woods."

"I'll tell him. You're still preoccupied. You have quite the mess to clean up."

"Chaos!" Vincent turned around and sighed. The creature would do whatever he chose. Vincent resigned to the fact that he still neck deep in his thoughts.

Oddly enough, Vincent coming to terms with Lucrecia was not nearly as painful as the act of standing in the room as he watched her speak into the microphone. It showed him that maybe he had his doubts about her that already had him predisposed to the conclusion. Acceptance of the conclusion with his relationship to Lucrecia was only a pin prick in comparison to the inexplicable stab of what he felt when he turned his attention to the arguments with Yuffie.

Her reaction seemed so out of place. For the days in the hospital when Vincent went to visit her, Yuffie was the cheerful girl from before their mission in Ebony. Things were good. Then, something happened and Yuffie no longer wanted to be with the man he was becoming. She, the one who yanked off the lid of his coffin, the one who filled the emptiness in him with her laughter and smiles, the one who always included him in everything, didn't want him anymore.

Desperation rose and Vincent started to flounder through his thoughts. Memories of fighting at her side and her phone calls, of her laughter and taunting, of her hard work and compassion flashed by, Vincent brushed past them, registering it as he waded through the water in his mindscape. She acted differently toward everyone in their group. Intellectual partner with Red, sisterly with Tifa, childhood friend with Cloud, obnoxious ward to Barret and verbal sparring partner with Cid. But what was she to him? Him to her?

This question drove him and he splashed, waded, and dove through his thoughts. Darkness was everywhere and there was no land in sight, in any direction. It seemed like hours, days, months passed before Vincent slumped back exhausted from his frantic search, floating around, letting his thoughts carry him through the black. More days, more months passed as Vincent meandered through with even more freedom.

Whether his eyes were open or closed made no difference. It felt like eternity, floating alone in his unchanging mindscape. Then suddenly it felt like he was falling through the water, air leaving his lungs made him burn from the inside out.

He fell out of the pain and the water to land heavily on his feet. Where his mind was full, cold, wet and chaotic, this new place was empty, warm, dry and peaceful. Exploring the area, Vincent found that the floor beneath his feet was soft and there was a definite lack of darkness, even if it wasn't light. The places in his mindscape were always places he knew or the twilit beach Chaos preferred. This place was something new. And somehow he knew it wasn't in his mind.

It was his heart.

0000000000000

Reeve was up to his eyeballs in court cases. The Overlords were tried and sentenced to labor in the Corel Prison. That was last month. This month he had the joy of compiling the entire case against Lucrecia. He had reviewed the entire file on what statements were taken by the scientists. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Then he received a phone call from Chaos.

"Sophia Woods, look into her," was all he got before the line cut. Chaos, apparently, was not one for phone conversations.

Unfortunately, Reeve had no opportunity to wonder about why Chaos was still in control after five months. The retrieval of Sophia Woods turned into a long, dangerous manhunt that ended with an arrest and detainment of the scientist. After questioning Sophia for three weeks, she still denied any connection with Lucrecia's plans to harm Vincent.

Questioning Lucrecia also proved fruitless. The doctor was slowly wasting away in her cell. Each time Reeve spoke to her, Lucrecia asked if she would be judged for her crimes at all or if she was going to die before it happened. Reeve never answered that question.

Tifa did.

After Sophia's arrest, Tifa paid a visit to Lucrecia. When Lucrecia asked her question to Tifa, the barkeeper gave a sad, almost sympathetic smile before dumping a bucket of ice water of words over the doctor.

"Look, Dr. Crescent, you might feel like this is a long time to wait for your sentence. Maybe death will take you before we mere mortals can finally wrap our minds around everything you are capable of doing. But that would be too kind. You might _feel_ guilty for the past thirty-five years, but this is an entirely new crime you've committed. So, no. You are not going to die before you're dragged in front of a court.

"You've affected many lives with your previous actions. You already served that sentence. Now you owe _my_ friends. Vincent and Yuffie are gone. And I blame you. You, Dr. Crescent, are going to hold onto life. Hold onto it so others can see your guilt. See it, name it and prove to the world that you have come forward to proclaim your actions. Only then can you free yourself of what you have done.

"Hold onto life, so you can be free in death."

The ferocity in Tifa's expression, the tension in her muscles and the intensity of her gaze told Lucrecia more about Tifa's emotions than her words. Harsh as they were, Tifa wanted to prove a point: her affection to her friends and her belief that Lucrecia had to see her confession to the bitter end for true closer and peace.

"Tifa Strife," Lucrecia looked at the woman across the table. "I will do as you say. How long I will be able to serve my punishment is unsure, but I will pay with every ounce I possess."

"Judgment and death are not to be feared," Tifa stood and prepared to leave. "Both are fair and just. And Aeris will take care of you."

"Aeris who?" Lucrecia started to ask, but Tifa had already left.

000000000

Yuffie was taking a vacation. Eight months after starting to work for Rufus, she finally finished her project and took off for the icy northern continent. Her lung and wound healed up perfectly and she was back in full fighting form.

When she reported that her project organization was fully operational, Rufus had her turn over the reins so she could regain her independence. He offered the helicopter when she said she wanted some time alone since she was healed and she took up the offer and Reno dropped her off at Icicle Inn. Before he took off again, Reno told Yuffie she was welcome to return to the Junon house after her vacation if she still wanted to hide from her friends.

"I'm not hiding. It's _me_ time," Yuffie retorted, but told the red-head to relay her thanks to his boss.

As it was the middle of summer, there were fewer people than usual, as most tourists flocked to Costa del Sol and other coastal cities for the sun and ocean vacations. Yuffie was oddly searching out for quiet. There had been a brief moment where she contemplated going to Wutai, but decided against going to the tourist trap in the busiest season.

Snow crunched under Yuffie's boots as she hurried into town. She went into the hotel and tried to book a room, but got turned down.

"How can a hotel be closed?"

"Lady, when do _we_ get a holiday? On the off season. Rent a condo. They're roomier and cost the same right now," the innkeepers directed Yuffie to the realtor's office.

Only slightly reluctantly, Yuffie paid for a rental home and went to settle in with her single bag and weapon. Having a house to herself would give her all the quiet she could want.


	25. Chapter 25

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 25

Chaos had been flying over the world in the months he gave Vincent to mull over his thoughts. The Planet was a beautiful sight from the sky. As much as Vincent was alone in his mind, Chaos was alone with his.

A long time ago, he was made by the Planet. A creature born of purpose. Omega had one, he had another. Though Omega vanished completely from the world after their battle, Chaos did not. As a concentration of sin and dark memories, Chaos was still clinging onto existence by the faint lingering in Vincent's mind. He had almost vanished completely, but when Vincent woke in the Crystal Cave, just as Chaos had at the beginning of his existence, the creature chose to remain. Not as a taint of sin, but a continual lifeline and because living with Vincent could show him something his existence had denied him before. Emotions of happiness, frivolity and so many degrees of each were within his grasp. Being born of the taint in the puddle of the Lifestream, Chaos knew only of the pain of sinners, something a thousand thousand times worse than Vincent or Lucrecia could feel. But it never bothered him; it was his nature.

Riding along with Vincent, Chaos learned of irritation, peace, mirth, amusement and happiness. That was why, in his eight months of flying around, Chaos made himself a promise. If Vincent became a man capable of living a full life on his own accord, Chaos would retreat, leaving his lifeforce, but not his body of conscience, for Vincent to live and age as any man would. The Protomateria would no longer be necessary to ensure the eternal life of Chaos and would, in turn, function as a heart regulator for Vincent's damaged muscle.

If, however, Vincent proved to be stubborn and incapable of living like a human, Chaos would make sure he lived like an eternal being. First thing on the agenda was to ensure their yearly anniversary with Nanaki in Midgar. Second, was to force Vincent to see the passage of time, not to stare at a coffin lid.

Perched at the edge of the crater where AVALANCHE battled Ultima Weapon, Chaos felt a pull at his mind. Vincent was gone. As much as he concentrated, Chaos could not feel Vincent with his mind. Panic was not an emotion the creature could comprehend, but he was frantic as he probed around in their mind space to find where his host had gone.

Then, Chaos found himself in his favorite mindscape; twilight at the beach, perched on his cliff of rock. Vincent stood beside him, looking out across the dark sea.

"Hello, Chaos," Vincent greeted him amiably.

"V," Chaos responded with caution.

"I want to thank you for giving me time to think," Vincent turned and looked as Chaos gave a noncommittal shrug of his wings. "You have changed in the time we spent together."

"For better or worse?"

"Better. You have learned that there is more than the inevitability of pain. That there is also joy."

"And you, V? Have you changed?"

"I believe I have."

"Are you going to tell me or will I have to go sneaking through your thoughts?" Chaos grinned mischievously at the outlook of prying.

"You won't find it in my thoughts," Vincent said with a Cheshire sort of look.

"It's where you disappeared to, isn't it?"

Vincent nodded and looked down.

"I can do this, Chaos."

"Always believed you could, Valentine," Chaos gave a genuine smile.

"Liar," Vincent said before vanishing from the mindscape to take control of his body.

He had to get back to Edge. There was someone he needed to see.

00000000000

The trials proceeded against Lucrecia Crescent. Evidence piled up against her and the public regarded her as badly as they did to the old Shin-Ra Company. Her trial was a harsh reminder of the forced actions of the power company in the years before Meteorfall.

Reeve was called before the panel of judges several times during the proceedings to testify. Each time he went up, he felt worse and worse for the pain he knew he was inflicting on Lucrecia each time he corroborated the lawyers words that she attacked Vincent. It was overkill. The trial did not need to take longer than one court date, but they strung it out in hopes to convict Sophia of her crimes as well.

On the fourth day, Vincent walked into the courtroom. The lawyers scrambled to talk to him. Hours later, he testified and Lucrecia was sentenced to forty years of solitary confinement.

Not once did she look up. Not once did Vincent hope for her to do so.

They parted without a word to each other. Yet it was the first time their communication was so clear.

As soon as the case was over, Vincent talked briefly with Reeve, then when that proved fruitless, went to the Seventh Heaven to reunite with old friends. He had a question to ask, but before he could ask his questions, he was put on baby duty with Marlene while the others worked downstairs. The first ten minutes were tense.

"I'm sorry!" Marlene's shuffling feet finally stopped as she burst out. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff the last time you came. I was worried about Yuffie and we didn't know about what happened and—"

"Marlene," Vincent interrupted smoothly, "you were completely right and I do not hold your words against you. That you would show such emotion for the wellbeing of others is truly commendable."

"Oh," she blushed and shifted her feet. "Dad said I should apologize anyway."

"Barret has a strong sense of morals," Vincent replied and looked at the twins. "They have grown much in my time away."

"It has been eight months," Marlene rolled a ball to Rosa, who gleefully rolled it back.

"Marlene, where is Yuffie? Is she in town?"

"Yuffie hasn't been in Edge for eight months. She left the day after you got her from the hospital."

"Does anyone know where she is?"

Marlene shook her head and shrugged, "She called Tifa once. But it was a long time ago. She just wanted to say she was fine."

"A city then. Maybe Wutai," Vincent pondered to himself.

"I miss her," Marlene admitted. "She's always fun to be around. It's like the room lights up whenever she's there, you know?"

"I know," Vincent recalled her enthusiasm and laughter. The room did always seem brighter with her in it.

Hours passed and Denzel came up the stairs for bed. The twins were already asleep after Vincent read to them. After making sure they were all settled in, he went downstairs. Tifa closed up early and the three adults pulled chairs around a table to chat.

"How're you doing, Vincent? It's been a while," Cloud poured their friend a glass of wine.

"I am much better, Cloud," he peered into the glass, but didn't drink right away. "I had a lot to sort out."

"We understand, Vincent. We're all glad to see you again," Tifa reached out and patted his arm.

There were a few minutes of silence. Tifa desperately wanted to ask more questions, but was wary of the consequences. Whereas Cloud was anticipating when everything was going to blow up in their faces.

"I asked Marlene, but she did not know," Vincent started, "Do either of you know where Yuffie is?"

The couple shared a look. Tifa looked worried and fiddled with her rings on her fingers and Cloud let out a sigh.

"Sorry, Vincent, we haven't been keeping track of her. She called, said she was safe and resting up. There wasn't anything we could do, even if we did want to find her," Cloud said apologetically.

"Why do you want to find her?" Tifa had a sly look on her face. Almost indiscernible, but Vincent caught a glimmer of something familiar; it was a look of one who wanted to play cupid. He had seen that same look on Reeve's face when he handed out missions.

"We have some… unfinished business," Vincent took a measured drink of wine so he could not be pushed into speaking. What used to be a nostalgic drink was now heavy and bitter. He put the glass down and removed his hand from the table.

"How important is this unfinished business?" Tifa pressed her luck and got an answer that said noting, but gave her more than words ever could.

Vincent stood gracefully and pushed in his chair before saying, "I shall depart. You need your rest for tomorrow."

"Come by again soon," Cloud saw Vincent off at the door. Locking it behind their departing friend, he turned to his wife. "Why do you have to bother him like that?"

"Because," Tifa eyed Vincent's glass and downed it. Waste not, want not. "I got my answer."

Cloud pulled his wife into his arms and pressed a kiss to her neck, making her smile blissfully.

"Leave them alone," Cloud ordered her and went about cleaning up as his wife tried to persuade him into something else.

0000000000

Vincent spoke to everyone. None of them knew anything. He went to Wutai and spoke to Godo. He went to Gold Saucer and talked with Dio. He went to Junon and found that it was no longer the same stinking harbor city. He spoke to the man at the top of the chain. The leader identified Yuffie, but had no idea where she went after passing off the leadership, he didn't even know her name.

Back in Edge, Vincent sought out Rufus, the man still in power over the harbor city.

"Do you know where she is?" Vincent stood as Rufus looked over files in his office.

"Can't say for sure, Valentine. Can't give up the girl when she doesn't want to be found," his piercing blue gaze cut into Vincent, but was ignored.

"I need to talk to her."

"Bullshit. Just say that you need _her_," Rufus put down his work. "Look, this is none of my concern; well, it shouldn't be, at any rate. But it is. Yes, I helped her out. She asked, I gave. We were honest with each other. Something that the relationship between you two seems to lack. And—"

"Are you getting somewhere, President?" Vincent cut him off.

"I'm not going to betray her friendship unless you convince me why it's good for her," Rufus crossed his arms.

"I will not tell you something that Yuffie deserves to hear first," Vincent glared coldly at the obstacle in his path of finding Yuffie.

"I heard about Dr. Crescent. My condolences."

"Where is Yuffie?"

Rufus smiled at Vincent's tense and automatic rebuttal. Reaching for his phone, he punched a button and spoke into the receiver, "Reno, prep the heli. You will be dropping Mr. Valentine where you left Ms. Kisaragi."

"Reno knew?" Vincent's thought must have translated in some form from the sight of Rufus's quirked brow.

"I actually never knew, Valentine. And I do not know if she's still there. It's been a few weeks," Rufus hung up. "Reno will take you. He'll pick you up on the roof."

"Thank you, President."

"Good luck, Valentine."

000000000

Yuffie pulled her goggles from her face and raised her binoculars. The townsfolk were talking about wolves in the area and Yuffie offered to do some reconnaissance. Consulting the map in her hand, Yuffie noted that several new packs were moving dangerously close to the edge of the city. Wolf extermination was tricking business even when she had materia. To do so with a single Cure material would demand heavy strategy planning.

Stashing her tools back into her pack, she fitted her goggles properly and skied further out. Snow was always present on the freezing Northern Continent and skiing was the fastest transportation.

After surveying the area, Yuffie swung back toward the town. Night came quickly and brought a frightful chill with it and Yuffie had no inclination to enjoy it. Skiing all the way back was impossible, so she removed the runners and strapped them to her back. With the Conformer in her hands, Yuffie slogged uphill to the town.

"After this, I'm going to Gold Saucer or Mideel. Somewhere with no snow in the middle of friggin' summer," Yuffie promised herself and she smiled when the town lights started blinking at her at the next crest.

There was a short downhill and Yuffie was contemplating if she should bother swapping back to skis when she froze. Crunching around her told her that she wasn't alone. Bandersnatches were an aggressive type of wolf and had no problems ganging up on a strong opponent.

Carefully, Yuffie unbuckled her pack and let it slide to the ground. Cure material, check; Ziedrick, check; Ribbon, check. There was decent tree coverage, but left her plenty of room to maneuver her long range weapon. Shifting her grip, she pulled her goggles down around her neck so she regained her peripheral vision.

The wolves moved in and Yuffie slashed out.


	26. Chapter 26

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 26

The view from the sky was what allowed Vincent to spot the curious skirmish in a small clearing to the northeast of Icicle Inn.

"Reno," Vincent spoke into the microphone on his headset. "Bank northeast."

The pilot complied and let out an exclamatory curse as they got closer. Below them, scarlet splattered the pristine snow. Furry bodies continued to fight even as they bled. The girl in the center was finally showing signs of fatigue and even after cutting their number down to a third of the original pack size, couldn't stop fighting. A pack not completely wiped out in a full frontal assault would continue to pursue their adversary. The town was in jeopardy if she ran.

Tearing the door to the heli open, Vincent pulled Cerberus out and leveled its barrels. His shots were sure and met their marks with a gush of red. Throwing a quick thanks over his shoulder, Vincent dropped out of the helicopter, sending a flurry of bullets ahead of him. He landed with a puff of snow and ducked as Yuffie's Conformer hurtled his way. A howl of pain signaled that she hit her mark. Spinning, Vincent sent a final uppercut with his claw and silenced the last beast.

Stink of blood, gore and sweat lingered in the air as Vincent surveyed the battlefield. Yuffie was grabbing fistfuls of snow and scrubbed the blood off her weapon as she walked back to her pack of supplies.

"Are you injured, Yuffie?" Vincent holstered Cerberus and went to step closer to her.

"I'm fine," Yuffie strapped her pack onto her back and trudged through the snow towards the town. She walked past him without a look.

"Do I not get a thank you?" Vincent fell into step beside her.

"Thank you," curtly, Yuffie responded, but continued to stubbornly focus on everything _not_ Vincent.

"You are welcome. I am glad I found you," Vincent had never tried to be the chatty one. It was hard when his partner so resolutely refused to respond. He wondered how Yuffie managed it with him for so many years.

They reached the edge of town and Vincent simply followed Yuffie. She hadn't told him to leave and he didn't plan on doing so even if she asked. The town hall was a small building and it was her destination.

Warmth hit him as he crossed the second threshold into the room.

"Ms. Kisaragi, we were getting ready to search for you," the elder came over and led Yuffie to where the others were gearing up to go into the cold dark.

"Sorry. Ran into a bit of trouble," Yuffie got help with sorting out her pack.

Several people gave shadowed looks toward Vincent, but didn't maintain them very long. Yuffie was placing markers according to her findings on a large map spread on the table.

"They have gotten closer," Yuffie moved some markers up and added new ones to the table. Pointing to the newest battlefield, Yuffie reported, "We finished a pack here. That's why I'm late."

"Others will move in, at least temporarily," one man said.

"Only to see the threat. Then they'll leave," the elder spoke. The Bandersnatches knew when slaughter was on the minds of the humans.

"We can assume that this pack," Yuffie pointed, "will be the first to move. Depending on how the other packs respond, I might only need to deal with two or three."

"They might retreat if we go out hunting," another man said.

"Let's wait until noon tomorrow before we go for a final plan. Tyson, Phil, you check the north perimeter; Greg, you're with me on the south," Yuffie picked up her Conformer and a flashlight before leading the men out.

Vincent remained.

"And who are you, friend?" the elder beckoned Vincent to him by the table.

"Vincent Valentine, respected elder."

"And why are you here?"

"To speak with Yuffie."

"Ah, Ms. Kisaragi mentioned… she did not name you, but I perceive that you will have a hard time getting into her good graces," the elder gave Vincent a sympathetic smile.

Vincent stood by the table and looked at the map.

"Perhaps, if you were to aid Ms. Kisaragi in her task, she may give you a chance to redeem yourself."

"Redemption… is not that which I seek."

"No?" the elder peered into Vincent's glowing red orbs. "Ah, you are after something much harder. But infinitely more precious."

"You are a perfect fit, wise one, for your role," Vincent looked away.

"Best of luck, friend. She stays in the red house on the southwestern path."

"Thank you, elder," Vincent gave a bow of respect and left. He found the house with no problem.

The sky was dark and the heavens filled with stars. Yuffie came up the path as Vincent watched the twinkling dots. She paused, but continued to the door, unlocking it and squeezing through a small crack to keep Vincent out.

"I have missed you," he said softly, not even attempting to force his way in. If she let him in, it would be of her own volition.

The door stopped, hovering ever so slightly, open.

"I was confused by many things. But the one thing I know for a certainty from the very beginning, is that I miss you," Vincent leaned against the wall and spoke through the crack into the darkness within. "I have settled everything in my mind. Now there is only one last thing I must do."

He could hear Yuffie's heartbeat in the stillness of the night. She wasn't going to say anything, but he knew she was anticipating his next words.

"This is not a matter of the mind," Vincent spoke slowly. Uncertainty caused hesitancy in his speech. He hadn't been tongue-tied in many years. "It… is one… of the heart."

He paused and he heard Yuffie's sharp intake of breath and knew she was holding it.

"Yuffie Kisaragi," he spoke in a quiet tone, but he knew she heard as she resumed breathing. "You have always been the best person, the most honest, courageous, charismatic person, in my life. You have always been there for me in every moment of my time of need. Fought beside me, protected me. You have always treated me like the man I wished I could be."

Her feet shifted. Exhaustion was setting in and she was dead on her feet and, yet, she stayed there, listening to his words.

"I want to become that man. For you. Because," Vincent paused and closed his eyes. "I love you, Yuffie."

Her heart quickened and so did her breathing. As much as Vincent wanted to go on, he couldn't. His heart was in his throat as he waited. Two seconds, five seconds, six seconds.

"You're letting the cold in."

Seven seconds.

Yuffie flipped on a switch and stepped further into the house, leaving Vincent to sweep inside and close up the hatch. The house was cozy. Warmly lit and filled with colors like the burning red sunsets of Wutai, the rooms exuded warmth, just like its current resident.

Yuffie put water to boil on the stove and turned on the heater before disappearing into another room. She came back in clean clothes and hung her cold, wet clothes on a rack by the heating vent.

"Hand up your cloak if it's wet. Shoes, too, I suppose," Yuffie arched an eyebrow as if calculating the percentage of cloth composition in his footwear. "Tea?"

"Yes, please," Vincent hung his cloak on the clothes line Yuffie had strung up. Or perhaps it was always there. His shoes were dripping water, so, even though his feet were dry, he took them off to avoid getting the floor dirtier.

"Here. Lemon ginger," Yuffie put down the tray before returning to the stove to make dinner.

"Thank you," Vincent poured tea for both and took hers to her so she could warm up as she cooked. "Can I help with something?"

"Potatoes and carrots?" Yuffie pointed with a knife to a vegetable crate.

They worked in silence and soon retreated to the table while their meal simmered.

"How is your injury?" Vincent refilled Yuffie's cup.

"Fitzy? All better," Yuffie patted her ribcage where Vincent was sure there was a scar.

"You named it," it was a completely Yuffie thing to do.

"All my best scars have names," Yuffie rolled her shoulders, wincing slightly.

"Hurt?" Vincent watched with worry as she rotated each shoulder carefully.

"No, just cold," she grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it over her before checking the food. "I'm not letting you say here because of what you said."

"I would not be so pretentious to believe that you were," Vincent told her. Then thought, "Then why let me in?"

"I keep my promises," Yuffie said as she ladled soup into bowls. It was as if she read Vincent's mind. "Even the ones made with the devil."

A quirk of irritation vibrated in the back of Vincent's mind.

"I do not believe Chaos particularly enjoyed your nickname for him," Vincent took the bowls as Yuffie hunted for cutlery.

"Didn't think he would," sitting down, Yuffie dug into her food, sighing at the delightfully hot liquid. Again, Vincent observed as Yuffie ate the scalding food with no hesitation.

"Will you enlighten me on this promise you made with Chaos?"

"No. Just be glad that you have a warm, safe place for the night. The inn is closed."

Vincent knew that the minute Yuffie finished eating, she would finish her cup of tea and wash the dishes. After that she would, most likely, shower, dry her hair, change again and go to bed. That meant that he had less than eight minutes to try and talk to her.

"The elder and townsfolk seem grateful with your assistance," Vincent grasped at the nearest topic. Work; typical.

"It's not like it's my first extermination assignment or anything."

"I would be more than willing to aide you in your task."

"I'll let you know," Yuffie tipped her bowl. Only the dregs were left. "Though, if you plan on being here tomorrow night, you'll be busy signing a housing contract with Maude."

"I could pay you a stipend if you allow me to stay here," Vincent said and watched Yuffie put down her spoon. She ignored his words as she tipped her head back, tea making her throat move as she swallowed.

"No thanks," Yuffie stood and cleaned up the dishes, purposely leaving the water running for an excuse not to hear Vincent talk.

He didn't try.

She walked past him as he ate and went into the shower.

"You're doing well, V," Chaos encouraged Vincent. "She didn't leave you in the cold and she hasn't attacked you."

"She only let me in because of whatever promise you two made," Vincent retorted a little sulkily.

"And aren't you glad I did? Eat your soup, it's getting cold."

Vincent followed Chaos's order and cleaned up his dishes by the time Yuffie reemerged with clean clothes and only barely damp hair. She checked the lock on the front door before going to the couch. Pillow, sheets and blankets were pulled out and arranged on the soft piece of furniture.

"You do not—"

"No, no, don't be confused. This is mine. You can have the bed," Yuffie cut Vincent off as she moved things away from the heater so it wouldn't catch on fire while she slept. "I got a good deal on this house because the heating doesn't work in the bedroom."

She turned the heater down and crawled under her blankets.

"Turn off the lights, please."

Vincent obliged, plunging the room into near darkness. His eyes adjusted quickly to the moonlight refracting off ice crystals through the window. For a minute, he stood, statuesque, watching Yuffie snuggle down into her nest of blankets. She always was adorable when she slept.

"Good night, Yuffie," Vincent said and went into the near freezing bedroom, closing the door behind him.


	27. Chapter 27

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 27

At the crack of dawn, both Yuffie and Vincent were up. Blankets were folded and piled neatly with pillows on top. Breakfast was eaten by Yuffie alone as she ignored Vincent and refuse to offer him anything. After turning off the heater, she pulled on socks, boots and a fur lined jacket before grabbing her Conformer and going out the door.

Vincent put shoes and cloak on and followed her out. Her light tracks went south to the edge of town. At a safe distance, Vincent observed her as she did a methodical perimeter check. On all their missions together, Vincent knew she was a dedicated agent and was diligent in all her tasks, even the menial ones. What he never knew was how extremely graceful and beautiful it was to watch her. Sure, he knew how gorgeous her lines were when in the middle of battle, but doing something as simple as checking traps and footprints in the snow? No, he had no idea that she could be so stunning at any given moment.

Standing at the top of the hill like a sentinel, Vincent pulled up memories of Yuffie doing other daily activities. Washing dishes, pouring tea, folding blankets and even pulling on socks had an air of grace to them. The clumsiness she seemed prone to would warrant closer inspection. If all other movements were worthy of her born title of Princess, then why would she have problems with something as simple as standing still?

Images of Yuffie in her Rose Aoyama persona flashed in Vincent's mind. Rose was Yuffie without the purposeful childishness. That made Rose less than Yuffie, because Yuffie was perfect the way she was. To change anything or to wish her to be different was an abomination. But change occurred anyway.

In truth, Vincent was at a loss as to her sudden change in attitude toward him. In the past, she was always the first to offer and the last to give up helping him. He could only conclude that it was something about the knowledge of Lucrecia's confession that drew out Yuffie's highly peculiar reaction. With long, careful conversation and immense brainpower, Vincent was sure he would be able to understand her thought process. The problem lay with getting Yuffie to explain it to him. Fairly sure that Yuffie was not inclined to offer that gem of knowledge, Vincent sighed.

Chaos had stubbornly stayed silent when Vincent asked for input. His only words were of encouragement, "If this is what you truly want, you will find a way."

The town was starting to wake as Vincent followed Yuffie around the perimeter to the north section where they had nullified the wolf threat the day before. The blood was frozen under new ice and another pack had surveyed the remains. Additional gouges were left on the carcasses as they searched for the killers. The smell of tempered steel and bullets led to their flight.

"I do not think they will come to this area for several months," Vincent spoke from a handful of yards behind Yuffie as she went into the circle of bodies.

Yuffie refused to respond. He was right, of course and she didn't want to agree with him. Instead, she chose to return to her task of checking the security of the town.

The sun was well into the sky by the time Yuffie was done reporting to the elder in the city hall and headed to lunch.

"Do you refer to the elder as 'boss man' as well?" Vincent inquired as he followed Yuffie into the restaurant. From her reflected expression, Vincent caught two reactions. One being: 'no, that would be disrespectful.' And two, 'why is he still following me?'

Yuffie peeled off her jacket before choosing a vacant table. Shamelessly, Vincent plucked it from her hand and pulled a chair out for her. Defiantly, she pulled out her own and sat down, leaving Vincent to sit in the seat he pulled for her.

"Are you going to return to the WRO?" Vincent watched as Yuffie rubbed the tip of her nose to regain blood circulation.

"What are you trying to do?"

Finally, a response. Vincent smiled.

She stared.

"I am trying to get my friend back," Vincent continued to smile.

"She go somewhere?" Yuffie looked at her menu.

"I am not certain what exactly happened," Vincent stretched out his leg, brushing it past hers under the table.

"Maybe you weren't meant to be friends anymore. Things change," Yuffie crossed her leg to get it away from him.

"I was hoping to try again," Vincent watched Yuffie pick at the wood grain in the table. "I was hoping to be a friend to her this time."

Yuffie waved over a server and ordered her food. Vincent doubled the order.

"Forcing it isn't gonna work," Yuffie folded her napkin into a paper crane. She didn't know why she was talking with him.

Inside her heart, she knew the reason. Vincent Valentine was not something to brush away completely. It was like staring intensely into a light and then looking away. The actual light might not be there anymore, but the afterimage was burned into her mind. Only time would make it fade away completely. But, bring the light back and, like a moth, she would, inevitably be drawn to it. Drawn to him.

Once, she had forced her emotions down for Vincent's sake; for him not to betray his emotions. Now she tried to govern her heart because she thought that she knew what was best for her.

"The heart knows what the mind cannot even start to comprehend," words to a seven year old by her mother echoed in Yuffie's mind. Her mother had been talking about Godo. The Lord of Wutai never went to see his wife as she lay dying. Yuffie sat by her mother and said how Godo was an awful person and asked how her mother could continue to love such a person. Kasumi replied with a life lesson for her hardened daughter. Logic had its place in life, but it cannot be forced into every crevice.

And that was exactly what Yuffie was trying to do. Force logic where nonsense ruled.

"Fickle," Yuffie cursed herself and ate her food in silence. Mechanically eating, Yuffie peeked into her mind banks and found, to her great dismay, that what was once tidy filing cabinets, was now a tornado aftermath.

"Yuffie?" Vincent's concern brought her out of her reverie. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she jerked away as if he had tried to touch her. "I need space."

"I can give you space," Vincent responded carefully as he watched Yuffie's reactions.

"Good," she finished her lunch, tossed down enough gil for the whole bill and grabbed her jacket.

She needed to think.

0000000000000

Yuffie travelled further than she thought. When she arrived at the top of a rocky mountain, Yuffie saw the flat empty valley with the single rock cave surrounded by steaming water. Why there was a hot spring in the middle of the snowy terrain was a question for another rainy day. As it was, Yuffie already had plenty of thoughts to occupy her mind.

But it wasn't up to her mind to reach a solution. It just needed to accept the decision already in her heart.

"Mother, I could use some more words of wisdom right now," Yuffie muttered a she shivered in the cold. "Though I'm sure you'd say something about dressing appropriately for the weather."

Pacing at the top of a snow capped mountain where it was windy and having exposed legs was not something Yuffie would suggest to anyone. It definitely was not an enjoyable experience. She chewed on her chapped bottom lip until it started to bleed. Knowing that, deep inside, she had continued to love him was one thing. It was another thing to consciously embrace it and to take a dive into acting on her feelings. If she started down this path, she had to live with the decision, no matter how it turned out.

Vincent already said the words. The ones she only dreamed of hearing. And with no harassment from her part. That only occurred in her wildest dreams.

And he never said anything without careful consideration.

Could she really do it? Be in a relationship? To be half of a couple was more than being one individual. To be considerate of him and their relationship would be different than hr customary nagging phone calls and partners on missions.

Changes. Choices.

"What is it that's stopping me?" Yuffie asked herself. "Stubbornness? Fear?"

She laughed. That was it. She was afraid. And all encompassing feat that consumed her. Fear was an emotion she touched twice. The first was when she learned that her mother was dying. The second was in the pit of Nero's darkness.

Overcoming that fear was at the aid of another. Her mother for the first; Vincent for the second. This time, Yuffie wanted to take the first step on her own.

0000000000

Sophia was released.

Reeve didn't like it, but the court told him there were no grounds to keep her. Instead, Reeve released her and set a tail on her. He also left a message on Vincent's phone. There was an ominous feeling that he couldn't shake and the Commissioner had to inform the gunslinger. If something was going to happen regarding Sophia, Reeve was fairly certain that Vincent was going to be involved.

Being the day after Lucrecia's trial, Reeve thought that he was going to finally get a few stress free minutes. He was wrong. The phone on his desk rang and he almost wanted to ignore it. But he couldn't.

"Yes?" Reeve listened for a moment, eyes widening. "How?"

The agent on the other side of the line was fast as he tried to report over the clatter of people in the background.

"I'll put out a team," Reeve slammed down the receiver after hearing the click. He cursed wildly, then picked up the phone again and punched a number. "Arrest Sophia Woods for the murder of Lucrecia Crescent."

"Yes, sir."

Reeve almost put the phone down, but punched in another number instead.

"Mr. Tuesti, what a pleasure."

"President Shinra, I have just issued the arrest for Sophia Woods."

"Oh?"

"I have a feeling you know where Yuffie is. Will you tell me?"

"Is this Sophia Woods a danger to Yuffie?" Rufus sounded concerned.

"Vincent asked you for help to find Yuffie, right? Sophia is likely to hunt for him. However, Yuffie is infinitely more likely to pick up her damn phone."

"Hold on," Rufus turned the phone away. "Reno!"

Reeve tapped his foot as Rufus spoke to his Turk.

"Icicle Inn, Reeve. That's where Reno dropped Mr. Valentine yesterday, literally, and Yuffie last month. Unless Yuffie ran away from him yesterday, they should both be there."

"Thank you, Rufus," Reeve was pulling the phone away when Rufus spoke.

"Is there a bounty for this Woods character?"

"No," Reeve said slowly, "but, she did murder someone in my headquarters. If I wasn't setting an example of peace…"

"Say no more, my friend," Rufus smirked and hung up. "Reno, new assignment."

00000000

Vincent lead the team of fighters in exterminating an overly aggressive pack of Bandersnatches that tried to attack the town in the middle of the afternoon. From his perch on a hill, Vincent had been waiting for Yuffie's safe return, but became a target for the ambitious beasts instead.

Gunshots brought the townsmen out and they killed the pack. It was closer to the town than the other battle and the men were worried. Offering to scout allowed Vincent the chance to inadvertently check on Yuffie. He was not particularly worried that she couldn't handle being alone out there, but rather it was knowing her defiance to return to the safety of the town before coming to a conclusion that caused his actions.

There were no wolves for miles. But maybe it was because they could smell the beast in Vincent. The wind was blowing to the southeast and he travelled a decent distance north when he smelled it.

Yuffie's blood.

It was faint, but Vincent spun in a panic. He followed the scent, blundering more than once as he rushed over ice, rocks and tree roots.

"Chaos! Chaos, where is she?" Vincent was yelling aloud as he rushed around, sniffing the air for the next whiff on the breeze. He got no response from his resident.

He stopped and surveyed the area. The blood was faint still, but he could smell more of her. She was close. The wind was too strong for him to hear her movements, so he proceeded carefully. Hurrying in that area would result in falling in the water. Falling in would not be a good turn of events. Hypothermia would set in under ten minutes in the icy country. And then he wouldn't find Yuffie.

The mountain loomed up beside him. He could hear something in the brief moments of silence; shifting ice. Up the mountain he climbed. The smell of her became warm. Then he saw her. Shivering as she paced, Yuffie was rubbing her sides, not even aware that Vincent was behind her.

"Yuffie," Vincent nearly had to yell over the whistling wind. His hair and cape flapped noisily. "Are you alright?"

"Vinc—" Yuffie whirled around, bleeding chapped lips open in surprise at his presence.

Her gray eyes went wide, her mouth fell silent and she slipped over the edge.


	28. Chapter 28

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 28

The water bruised her back on impact. Water burned her, air escaped her lungs and she was getting dragged down by her waterlogged fur jacket. She fought to get it off and to kick for the surface, but it seemed useless. It was dark under the water. Or maybe it was her vision that was darkening. It was warm in the water. Much nicer than on the mountain. Softer, too, now that she was inside it.

Then she hit something hard, it gripped her around the waist and then everything was bright, hard and cold. And then darkness. Complete stillness.

"You don't belong here," a voice spoke. Feminine. Familiar.

"Aeris?"

"No," there was a soft shake. "You need to go back."

Pain. It pumped into her like a pulse.

"Go back to him," the voice faded.

Warm lips were pressed on hers. She turned and coughed up water. Pain laced through her chest and back as she did so. Hands held her and she was picked up.

"You will be fine, Yuffie, just hold on," Vincent's voice was breathless and there was a distinct chatter in the words.

The air was bitter cold as he ran. Water dripped and froze. Yuffie looked up and saw Vincent's completely drenched form. She shivered violently and clutched at him as he finally ducked into a cave.

Someone left provisions in the cave and Vincent set Yuffie down near the pile as he tore through it. There was a fire pit and a small pile of fire wood. Working with shaking hands, Vincent lit kindling, then built up the fire.

"Yuffie, feed the fire and try to get warm. I will try to find blankets."

Yuffie nearly fell over as she moved. Her muscles were like solid blocks of ice. She fed the fire, but the wood was slightly damp and did not give off much heat. As Vincent continued to look for blankets, Yuffie removed her headband, shoes and socks. There was a delicate balance when fighting hypothermia in wet clothes. The balance fell on discovering something dry to wrap up in or not.

"Take it," Vincent held out a blanket. "Get dry and warm."

"What about you?" Yuffie took it and tried to hide the chattering in her teeth.

"I will find another one," he turned away so Yuffie could strip off all her wet clothes and huddle up in the blanket.

Two minutes passed.

"Vincent come here," Yuffie saw him shaking from where she sat by the fire. "You've searched everything."

"No, I—"

"Vincent," Yuffie grabbed him as he made to pass her. "Stop. We have to get you warm."

"I am fine."

"Liar, you're on Death's door," Yuffie secured the blanket over her shoulders and pushed Vincent to the ground. He fell too easily.

She pulled his cape over his head rather than undo the buckles. Both glove and gauntlet were stripped off. His head band followed and his hair fell everywhere. He pushed it back. Yuffie pulled off his boots and socks and tucked his feet under the folds of her blanket.

When she straddled his knees, he started to squirm.

"Yuffie, what are you doing?"

"Taking off your clothes. You can't get hypothermia. I can't get you out of here on my own if you get sick," Yuffie flicked buttons open as Vincent tried to stop her. The fact that he couldn't catch her was a testament to his decreased health.

"There is only one blanket."

"We'll share," Yuffie got the buttons done and she was pulling it off when he finally caught her hands.

They stared into each others' eyes. Red into gray, gray into red.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" Yuffie's voice was but a whisper.

"I meant every word."

"Say it again, then," Yuffie's pulse sped up in anticipation.

"I love you."

"Again."

"I love you," Vincent loosened his grip.

"I'm afraid," Yuffie confessed.

"So am I, Yuffie," Vincent reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear and held her, his thumb rubbing her cheek.

"I love you too, Vincent," Yuffie smiled softly.

Vincent pulled her to him. His lips were cold on hers, but warmed as he kissed her firmly, possessively. Yuffie had no problem removing his shirt and belt then. The pants presented more of a problem. He solved it by rolling them over. Once on top, Vincent let Yuffie undo both button and zipper before he broke away long enough to remove his pants himself.

Yuffie had a very sensual smirk on her face. Her words, however, were very blunt, "No underwear?"

Vincent responded by pulling her into another elongated kiss. Being naked in a cave fighting off death by freezing was not what he had ideally thought of for their declaration of affection, but he was not going to argue with Fate.

Purrs of pleasure rumbled in Yuffie's chest as Vincent continued to kiss her in all the ways Yuffie only read in romance novels. She enjoyed receiving them for only a handful of moments before she let out a long moan and thrust her hands into his hair. There was no way she could just accept his ministrations. She was a full participator and shared her own skills with Vincent.

Her mouth was like a dream and Vincent felt like he was spiraling into a completely different world. She tried many different things, eliciting moans, groans, gasps and completely instinctual reactions. Sometimes, she mixed it up, seeing what kind of reaction she could get if she did something else while she kissed him. Her hands were creating streaks of fire on his body as she explored every line, every scar.

It took all of Vincent's strength not to completely collapse on her. She left him completely defenseless. There was no more cold, only the fire left in the wake of her touch. His breath was stolen away, but it was okay since she breathed into him. She was his air, his earth and sky. There was no up and down. There was only Yuffie.

And he was left as a moaning mess of male hormones completely hypnotized by Yuffie's charm.

Then there was the point where Vincent wanted control again. He wanted to see what exactly he could do to Yuffie. Fingers opened the blanket and Yuffie gasped at the rush of cold over her body.

She flushed a beautiful shade as Vincent drank in his body like he was a dying man in a desert and she was a pure oasis. He took in the curve of her hips, waist, breasts and he paused to trace the bullet scar.

"You are beautiful," Vincent said, his gaze returning to her face. Her blush deepened.

Then he set out to find all her reactions. Her scent was already strong and he was fully prepared to mix his with hers. But he held out. He was going to take his time. To find where she would gasp, scratch, moan, swear. Like a good drink, it was all about the right mix. There were good combinations, bad ones and great ones. He wanted to make her drunk on her feelings.

Yuffie never knew how much of a tease Vincent could be. He would find a sensitive spot and would play, nuzzle, lick or nip at it until he was satisfied and would move on. But he always left right as she felt as if she were peaking. Then he would yank her off her high, just to redo the process somewhere else.

Their actions became less controller and controlled and more of a exponential growth of insatiable foreplay as they did things to each other, creating deeper petting, throatier noises and losing clear thoughts and conscious decisions. Instincts took over. Their hearts beat equally frantic as one.

Rolling, Yuffie ended up straddling Vincent's waist and when she hauled herself back for much needed air, she rocked her pelvis with extra purpose. Strong hands held her hips for balance.

"Comfortable down there?" Yuffie's chest was heaving and Vincent was proud to be the cause.

"Quite. I have this delightful view of the most beautiful woman on the Planet," Vincent rubbed his thumbs on her hips, causing her to shift further into his touch. She was panting anew.

"I always knew you were the bottom type," Yuffie smiled as she continued to rock on him.

"How did you know? I do not know."

How was he supposed to know if he had a type. It was years since he last had sex and he had always been a traditionalist.

"Because I know you," Yuffie leaned down and placed a kiss on his nose.

When she pulled back, she froze. His eyes pinned her. It was a look she never experienced before. Possessive, soft and yet slightly insistent. There was also complete vulnerability. She could do anything to him and he wouldn't stop her. The look was also full of promises. To take care of her. To treasure. It promised soft caresses and passionate grapples. It promised rainy days and summer nights. He would be her shield and her sword. He would be her friend and her lover.

"I love you," Yuffie said, dazed just by looking into his heart.

"Prove it," Vincent's voice rumbled low, huskily, and there was a darkly delicious edge to his order. Yuffie took to her task with a hot passion.

She came to another shocking realization. As she worked on branding his neck, Vincent growled out very specific, very graphic and absolutely dirty things to her. Who knew that stoic Vincent Valentine would be so verbal during intercourse. Or, to be more specific, before intercourse.

His words were promises, not of what he would do with her, but of how she was going to react. The picture he painted was of her many layered bliss and entire range of emotions Yuffie never would have guessed he knew about. Hot liquid spilled onto his stomach as a result to his description and Yuffie just laid, as if paralyzed on him as he spoke. His words ricocheted off the walls as he shamelessly described the many times he would let her experience throbbing ecstasy. Her walls clenched as he described how he would feel. How he would feel as he made her come.

She was panting as if he had ravaged her body the way he described, not as if he was just speaking words into her ears.

"Would you like that, love?"

"I just did," Yuffie was grinding her hips into his as her thighs slid over her own juices. "Touch me, Vincent."

He made a tsking sound, but put his hands on her butt, massaging the flesh with his bare fingers. When he didn't move to touch her entrance, she squirmed, trying to get him to slip or to accidentally thrust onto him. She wasn't picky on which one were to occur. But his grip on her was for a purpose. It was so she couldn't do what she was attempting to do.

Soft shushing sounds wafted over her ears and she relaxed in his hold. The sweat on her bare skin was evaporating quickly and she shivered even though she still burned where they touched. Vincent moved his hand and a small pathetic whimper escaped. She buried her head into his chest, embarrassed that he reduced her into a horny mess.

There was a soft chuckle beneath her and she felt him run soothing circles on her back as he rolled their bodies in the blanket. Lying on their sides, Yuffie shifted, tucking herself into the contours of his body. Her embarrassment subsided and she sighed in soft contentment. They fell from their high and Yuffie knew it was alright. She knew they had the rest of their lives to act on their love. There was no need to rush.

"Vinnie?" She spoke softly, rubbing her nose along a scar she found.

"Yes?" He reached out and carefully fed the dying fire another piece of wood.

"I'm sorry."

"For what reason do you have to be sorry?"

"Abandoning you. Refusing to be your friend when you asked," she tucked her heard down, speaking into the minimal space between them. Clawing his back with the pads of her fingers, it was as if she was having a silent war with herself.

"Yuffie," his fingers gripped her chin firmly and pulled her face up. Dark locks fell across her face and he brushed them aside with one soft movement. "I do not blame you for anything. I will accept your apology if it will put the matter behind us."

"Aren't you going to ask why?"

"I have known you awhile now, Yuffie. I know not of how your mind works, but I can understand the results," he leaned down and pressed a simple kiss to her chapped lips. "No, I am not going to ask why."

"Good, cuz I'm not sure I can explain it," she giggled and squirmed down into his arms.

Vincent groaned loudly, echoing in the cave.

"Do not do that, Yuffie," he had a firm grip on her waist.

"What?" Yuffie frowned. She had enjoyed the inexplicable noise her partner made.

"We have moved too quickly, maybe. I do not want to do something that deserves more…"

"Vinnie, are you saying that if I do this," she wiggled, earning her a gasp, "you'll ravage me? But you're trying not to, cuz you don't wanna have our first time in a cave?"

"I do not want to rush just because circumstances have left us in this situation."

"You mean the situation where we were on the verge of freezing, we only have one blanket, you've already conveniently confessed to me and we end up naked, sweaty and you've made me come by saying the most scandalous things since Loveless? You mean that situation?" Yuffie raised a skeptical brow in teasing sarcasm.

"Yes."

"Fine, no more squirming from me," Yuffie kissed his chest she was pleasantly pressed into.

Vincent sighed in relief.

Then convulsed as he felt Yuffie's slinger fingers between his legs. She was silent in her endeavor and kept her promise of not squirming. That, she left entirely up to Vincent as he twisted and thrust under her touch, stars popping into super novas in his eyes and engulfing his senses with her full range of touches and ultimately the rushing feeling of unabashed release.


	29. Chapter 29

Silencing the Chaos

Chapter 29

Vincent had never slept so well in his life. There was the pleasant sensation of Yuffie, her warmth, her even breathing and pulse, her body and weight and, possibly best of all, her scent. There was comfort in just having her smell constantly nearby. It was like sunshine and water, then there was the smell of the metal and oil of her shuriken and something delightfully naturally green.

He could have laid there for hours with his eyes closed, just memorizing every minute detail of how the molded together, her smooth skin and strong muscles. She was definitely no fragile doll out of bed and from her actions the previous day, she promised more than soft lovemaking in their future.

"Imagining something, Vince?" Yuffie murmured into his chest as she stirred in his arms.

"Did I wake you?"

"Something did," Yuffie's voice was sexily laced with sleep and she turned around, making their bodies vibrate at the change in contact.

"We should return to the town," Vincent ran his hand over Yuffie's side. It was amazing how relaxed he was in his physical attention to her. To be so completely able to touch her and not have her gaping in surprise at his change in character was satisfying for his ego. For her to be awkward with his ministrations would be an insult.

Yuffie made a humming purr before saying, "Or we could stay here awhile."

"Yuffie, that is probably not a good idea."

"Because you don't wanna have sex here? Fine," Yuffie sat up, cold biting as the air hit her skin. She pulled on her clothes and Vincent worried that she was already upset with him. The way she bent down to pull on her shorts could have been an indication that she wasn't upset, but he was very new at this whole, being in a relationship with someone, thing. He rolled away and pulled on his own clothes when Yuffie asked, "Did you really think I was upset or something?"

"I am unsure."

"I was _trying_ to seduce you. I guess I'm just not sexy enough to pull it off," Yuffie shrugged and pulled on his cape for extra warmth.

"You are very sexy, Yuffie," Vincent told her seriously. Too seriously, because Yuffie's reaction was to burst into laughter and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You're sweet. Let's go," She waited at the cave mouth with her shuriken and his gun belt. There was something out there, shifting in the shadows of the trees, but Yuffie couldn't quite place it.

"Is something wrong?"

"Something's out there. Can you see it?" Yuffie handed Cerberus over as Vincent scanned the terrain.

"V," Chaos's rumbling voice echoed slowly in Vincent's mind. "A parting gift. After this, we will part ways forever."

"What?" Vincent spoke aloud, drawing Yuffie's attention. She knew that look; he was talking to Chaos. "Part ways, Chaos? What are you talking about?"

"I have seen it. Your conscience, your heart and your mind. And I know that there truly is no need for me anymore," Chaos stood, looking over the calm waters of Vincent's mind. "It has always been twilight here. Now, it is dawn. There is but one last obstacle in your path. I shall take it with me to the Lifestream."

"Chaos?" Yuffie nearly fell off the cliff face at his sudden appearance, his wings pressing her side. "What's going on?"

"Good bye, Yuffie. Take care of him," Chaos laid a hand on her shoulder before taking to the sky. He was a streak of red against the clear blue as he hovered. Then he hurtled for the found and there was a piercing scream.

Then silence.

Yuffie rushed down. She was panting lightly as she got to the patch of trees where Vincent was standing. He shook slightly, but not from the cold, and turned his face up to the sky.

"Is Chaos?" Yuffie reached out, ignoring the lifeless body a few yards away.

"He is gone. All of them; gone," Vincent sounded hollow.

"Hey," Yuffie touched his claw and he looked down at her. "I still love you, all the same."

He pulled her into his arms. They stayed there for a minute as Vincent began to reconcile with the new realization of his humanity and mortality.

"A six year gap is not that bad, is it?" Vincent inquired.

"Hey, I was okay with the forty year gap," Yuffie confessed. She finally pulled away and looked at the bloody mess Chaos left. "Vince, how can you stand all the blood? It stinks."

"Blood?" Vincent turned and saw the slashes and lifeless gaze of Sophia Woods. "It is not as strong as it usually is."

"I guess with all your house guests gone, there's bound to be slight differences now," Yuffie tiptoed toward the body. Vincent frowned.

"I do not like it."

"What? Why?"

"What if something happens to you?"

"And you can only smell me from two and a half miles and not three?" Yuffie pretended to ponder. "I guess I just can't go anything dangerous far away from you."

"You always do dangerous things, no matter where you are," Vincent pointed out.

"Touche," Yuffie went back to him. "But now I'm thinking of us, not just me. I'll be more careful."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow.

"Promise," she crossed her heart with a slender finger which Vincent watched with great interest. "I'll get my job back at the WRO and do lots of boring paperwork. The biggest threat will be paper cuts."

"The WRO?"

"What? No going back to work? We could do something else, but with our skill sets, we'd start a mercenary school," Yuffie pulled out her phone. No reception. "Better head back to call it in."

They barely turned for the town when they drew their weapons and came face to face with Reno and Rude.

"Oh, good, you found her," Reno chuckled. "Saves us the work of doing it ourselves."

"Huh? Whaddya talkin' about?" Yuffie lowered her weapon.

"Rude, let's go," Reno went over to Sophia's body and whistled. "Nice. A bloody mess. You two are gonna be cleaning my heli for a week to get it out."

"She's frozen. Don't turn on the heater," Yuffie snipped.

"Why are you here?" Vincent asked Rude.

"Mission from the President. Reeve wanted her arrested, but the boss said accidents happen."

"Karma," Reno added. "Come on, let's get back home. I hate the cold."

"Do you two need a ride?" Rude asked as he and Reno picked up the body. "We're parked in town."

Vincent left the decision up to Yuffie.

"We should check about the wolves," Yuffie said, but when they got to the town, they found everyone in good cheer.

A brief talk with the elder released Yuffie of her obligation to aide them. Ten minutes after that, she and Vincent were piling into the cargo space of the Shin-Ra helicopter beside the dead girl.

"Why did Chaos say that she was an obstacle?"

"She was not as she seemed," Vincent said. He spoke directly into her ear as they took off. "Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine," Yuffie snuggled into his grasp as they flew for Edge. His hand comforted her as they buffeted in the wind.

"Sorry 'bout that, princess. Can't control the weather," Reno opened the door to the cargo hold and let Yuffie jump out to ground herself.

"All good, all good. Where are we?"

"Top of WRO headquarters. Reeve wants Woods' body," Reno waved WRO agents over and they took the frozen body into the building.

"Yuffie!" Reeve exclaimed as they entered the conference room. It had been nearly nine months since they last saw and he jumped up excitedly from where he was talking with Rufus to envelope Yuffie in a gigantic hug. "Are you alright?"

"Perfect, Reeve," Yuffie smiled. "Care to explain what's going on?"

"Tying up some loose ends," Reeve said. "The past few days have been quite eventful."

"Sophia Woods was to be arrested for murdering… someone in custody," Reeve looked at Vincent.

"Dr. Crescent?" It was Yuffie who asked, looking between the faces in the room. "Why would Sophia do that?"

"We found these," Reeve put out a folder. Vincent read over Yuffie's shoulder as she looked through the files.

"The daughter of Nero the Sable? Who would allow such a stupid—" Yuffie cut herself off and looked at Rufus.

"We've all established that my father was a complete imbecile in regards to Deepground."

"How come we didn't know about this when we went to Ebony?" Yuffie flipped through the pages.

"Sophia Woods didn't exist for a long time. She was Sapphire long enough for people to forget who she really was."

"What now?" Yuffie asked.

"Well, not much. She's gone, so no trial. I'll write up a report and file it."

"That's it? Seems kind of sad," Yuffie looked at Vincent.

"Reeve, Chaos killed her. And he is gone. They all are, but some of the effects remain," Vincent told the Commissioner.

"Some of the effects? Then…"

"Mortal again," Vincent said.

"Nanaki will be saddened," Reeve mused.

"He'll forgive him," stubbornly, Yuffie retorted. "Have fun with Popsicle. I'm going home."

Yuffie twirled with a swish of Vincent's cape and bounded away.

"You'd better follow her if you ever want your cape back," Reeve told his companion.

"I don't think that's why he's going to follow her," Rufus said. "Congratulations, Valentine."

"Thank you, Rufus," Vincent nodded to the oddly astute man and strode to follow the girl dancing down the hall. He picked up her bag she conveniently left for him to carry.

00000000

"We're going to need a bigger bed," Yuffie said as she laid atop Vincent. It was only the afternoon, but after she showered, she crawled into bed to wait for Vincent.

He had been a gentlemen by not joining her in the shower, but contented himself with standing at the counter and watching her shadow move. When they switched, Yuffie made him promise not to steal her fun.

Giggling as realization dawned on him, Yuffie left to stretch languidly in bed. She didn't have long to wait even though he set their clothes to soak in soapy water after he finished showering.

"Yuffie, did you dry your hair?"

"Not yet," Yuffie called into the bathroom from where she lay.

Vincent appeared with a full array of tools. Brushes, towels and hair drier. What was a five minute experience for Vincent was a full blown challenge for Yuffie.

"Did you use any conditioner? Your head is one gigantic knot!" Yuffie methodically untangled his hair and dried it. Then she told him to lie down so she could rest.

She made the comment about the bed after discovering that they didn't comfortably fit on a single.

"What size bed do you want?" Vincent slid her up his torso so he could kiss her forehead.

"The bigger the better. There are just some things you can't do without a big bed," Yuffie stretched her bare body over his as if saying how much they would miss out. "What are we going to do now, Vincent?"

"I thought you said that you wanted to rest."

"Not like, immediately," Yuffie scolded him. "I meant in our lives. What are we going to do?"

"We can do anything you want. Travel, work, make a family," Vincent trailed his bare hands over her soft expanse of skin.

"You want a family?" Yuffie looked up, surprised.

"With you, I can imagine it."

"Families are expensive."

"I can continue working for Reeve," Vincent was enjoying his emotional freedom. His fingers traced lines along Yuffie's body, making her squirm delightfully and building friction.

"No fair, you said I couldn't work for Reeve!"

"That's because I know you will go take on all those red light district missions just to make me jealous."

"Is that your worry?" Yuffie pouted cutely. "But I would learn so much to share with you."

"I am sure you are creative enough without the help of others," Vincent pinched at her flesh to force her to respond.

"You'll help too, right?" Yuffie nipped his lip in retribution.

"With wild abandon," Vincent deadpanned, making Yuffie giggle at his tone.

Blissfully, they laid there until Vincent asked her, "How long?"

"Ever since I first saw your eyes open."

"What about when you learned of the others?"

"They gave you an even more delectable dark side. Tormented, stoic, bad boy Vinnie. I only learned that I loved you more every time I learned something about you," Yuffie nuzzled into his neck, sucking noisily just to get a reaction. "Now, I get to have you all to myself. No sharing with Chaos and the others."

With a giggle, she dove under the covers and made so much noise that they would receive angry letters on the doorstep the next day.

But that night, neither one cared as they teased, pulled and earned an entire orchestra of sounds from the other as they came together.

Late, as they both relaxed in the sweaty aftermath of their passion, Vincent slipped into a peaceful doze. Jenova was gone and Lucrecia was finally at rest. And after so many long years of torment, Vincent finally received his reward. His mind was silent and his heart was full of love.

He had finally succeeded in silencing the chaos.

As he felt Yuffie shift atop him, he murmured a sleepy, "If that is what we can do on this bed, then I need to know what we can do on a bigger one."

She laughed at his words and they held onto each other, content to never let go.

0000000

The End.

Author's Notes: Thank you to all my readers and reviewers.

Specifically, **CupofTeaforAliceandHatter **for you continued support from chapter one. Your dedication to reading had a profound effect on my continuation to write, even if I did put Vincent and Yuffie into some… unnecessary trials.

Thank you **snipergal7** for your honesty in your reviews. I know there are times when they are wildly out of character and are more than a little unreasonable with their reactions. So thank you for your continued viewage (yes, I made a word for you) even when I made them do things you might not have agreed with.

** Of Swords01**, **singerprissy**, and **a 1000 paper cranes**, thank you for your multiple reviews. Your reactions and your posts always give me a reason to smile.

And to everyone else, you have successfully made my ego swell as I watch my Stats push the size of the graph larger every day. I hope you have enjoyed this little slice of fanfiction, though maybe it isn't so 'little.' As I mentioned on my profile, I will be taking a break to write NaNoWriMo, but I plan on coming back. Maybe with more FF7, maybe with something else you might enjoy. So, until then, happy reading.

-LDB


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